Tuesday, March 03, 2015

Happy Girls Day! (Japan)

Happy Girls Day!  This Japanese celebration, on the third day of the third month, celebrates girls with special foods, prayers for their growth and happiness, and a long tradition of collectible dolls. 

The sweet above is made with white bean paste (sweetened with sugar) and in the center, red bean paste. For those who have never tried a traditional Japanese wagashi sweet, these are really delicious! This is my first attempt at a Girls Day sweet.  This is meant to be eaten just before enjoying a bowl of matcha tea (powdered green tea).

You can read more about Hinamatsuri (Girls Day, also called Dolls Festival) here.

For those of you interested in the Japanese Tea Ceremony, notice the word in the background of the photo, Harmony or Wa. I have had this piece of artwork (from Kelly Rae Roberts) for some time, since long before I began studying the tea ceremony. It just occurred to me today to make the connection. It seems that Harmony has been an important concept in my life for some time! 

Wa is one of the four tenants upon which Chado, the Way of Tea, is built. The four are Wa (Harmony), Kei (Respect), Sei (Purity), Jaku (Tranquility).

4 comments:

Linda Jennings said...

This is very interesting!

Antiques And Teacups said...

Always fun learning fun things from other cultures! Thanks so much!
Ruth

Marilyn Miller said...

What a special way to celebrate Girls Day. I just know those sweets were delicious. Love the connection with the artwork by Kelly Rae too.

Nora @ Teacup Tales said...

Happy Girls Day (one day late)! It's been years since I've tasted the sweet treats. Yours looks quite tasty. My former colleague has an extensive collection of dolls that her grandmother started for her when she was young. I always enjoyed looking at the fine details of the dolls and their clothing. Definitely would love to visit Japan, especially Kyoto, one day.