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Hinamatsuri or Hina Matsuri is the Doll Festival in
Japan. On 3rd of March, people display dolls dressed in
old-style kimonos.
It is a celebration especially for girls. Formerly people believed the
dolls possessed the power to conceal bad spirits in their bodies and will save
the owner from dangerous encounters.
The origin of hinamatsuri is hinanagashi where paper dolls are put into a
boat and sent on a journey down a river, taking with them the bad spirits.
The customary drink for the festival is amazake, a sweet beverage made
from fermented rice or sake lees.
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