Join Portland Japanese Garden for Hina Matsuri, also called Doll’s Day or Girl’s Day, to celebrate the happiness, growth, and good health of girls. In Japan, families with daughters mark the festival by displaying intricately crafted hina dolls dressed in ornate costumes several days before the festival. At the Garden, Visitors can view and take photos with a traditional display of hina dolls in the Cathy Rudd Cultural Corner in the Jordan Schnitzer Japanese Arts Learning Center.

March 3 is also called Momo-no-Sekku, or Peach Blossom Festival, because according to the lunar calendar peach blossoms were in full bloom on this day. Many families in Japan display sprigs of peach blossoms together with hina dolls.  At Portland Japanese Garden, an ikebana arrangement by Nana Bellerud, President of Ikebana International Portland Chapter #47 and Branch Director of Sogetsu Portland, will accompany the display.

Festival visitors may sign up to participate in a family-friendly ikebana class, led by Nana Bellerud, to learn the fundamental foundations of ikebana. In the Miller Living Room, two family-friendly performances by Kotori Kai Shamisen School and Takohachi will feature shamisen (three-stringed traditional Japanese musical instrument), dancing, and singing.