Tea Ceremony Koto/ Kimono & Tea ceremony A1 minute walk from Golden Pavilion. Authentic Tea Ceremony in Kyoto.

Hina doll’s (Girl’s festival) Tea Ceremony

Tea Ceremony Koto starts special seasonal tea ceremony from February 17th to March 20th.

It’s Tea Ceremony for Hina doll’s festival, which is an occasion to pray for young girls’ growth and happiness.

The beautiful Japanese Hina dolls are decorated on the red carpet in 7 staircases, and pretty tea utensils related to the festival are used.

 

The origin of Hina festival (Doll’s festival) in Japan

 

 

hina doll

 

Hina festival is in March 3rd. 
In other words, “The Peach blossoms’ festival ”because it’s the seasonal festival in spring.
Families with girls display dolls for the Doll’s Festival called Hina-ningyo from the middle of February.

The origin goes back to Heian period (794-1192).

There was a “Hiina playing” in those days.
Hiina means pretty or small things, so it is thought that Hiina playing was for the small dolls for little girls, not adults.

In addition, March 3rd is one of the turn of the year in Japan,
when we have had the custom to purify our spirits and body since Heian period.

There is also the description in Genji tale written in 1008 that Genji,
a hero of the story had done the ritual purification ceremony using a pattern of human made of paper and threw them into the sea after the ceremony.

 

The mixture of Hiina playing and the purification ceremony is thought to be the origin of Hina festival.

 

Doll’s temple in Kyoto

 

Hina dolls

*The picture is the Hina dolls in Tea Ceremony Koto

 

Ho-kyo-ji temple near the building of Urasenke tea ceremony school is called Doll’s temple.
It’s known as the temple of the memorial service for dolls.

 

 

From March to the beginning of April, Ho-kyo-ji temple has the exhibition of Hina dolls every year.
We can see many kinds of Hina dolls of different eras here.
(Taking photos is not allowed.)

I have been the exhibition about 10 years ago.
It was interesting to see the changing trend of doll’s designs from the beginning of Edo period to nowadays.

Hina dolls are standing and just simple 2 dolls (a man and a wife) at first,
but the doll sitting and wearing gorgeous kimono called Junihitoe for loyal family or the miniatures of wedding utensils are decorated afterwards.

 

Ho-kyo-ji temple

〒602-0072 momo-cho Kamogyo-ku Kyoto

Tel 075-451-1550

Hina doll’s exhibition March 1st ~April 3rd

Time 10:00~16:00(entrance is till 15:30)

Entrance fee 600yen(children 300yen)

 

 

 

 

 

Tea Ceremony for Hina festival @ Tea Ceremony Koto

 

Hina doll's tea ceremony

 

I have changed the display of kimono into gorgeous Hina dolls on 7 staircases.

In addition, tea utensils only for this season are used.
They are really pretty because Hina festival is the celebration for the growth of girls.

I think tea ceremony experience for tourists tend to be a show of the way to make powdered green tea and it looks not thinking about seasons very much.
But actually, feeling seasons is the important point of Japanese tea ceremony.
Not only eating sweets with powdered green tea like café, we enjoy seeing the utensils, flowers, the designs of Japanese sweets etc in a tea room.

 

I think it’ll be the hint to take in the way to enjoy seasons in your home.

 

Tea Ceremony for Hina festival

February 17th to March 20th in 2016

 

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