雛流し
Awashima Shrine, Wakayama
• Mar 3

Awashima shrine is well-known for the hina nagashi (doll floating) ritual that takes place annually on March 3rd – Girls’ Day. Many women visit this shrine to pray for good luck in matters such as childbirth and fertility. The shrine is famous for its dolls, which are lined up in the front hall and have been dedicated from all over the country by families with girls. The festival involves piling traditional Japanese dolls on boats and launching them out to sea in a special ritual. It’s thought that any potential bad luck is launched out to sea with the dolls, ensuring the health and success of the girls who donated the dolls. Awashima Shrine is one of the few places where doll floating is still practiced. Every year, thousands of women attend the ceremony to send off their dolls carrying precious memories to the land of the gods.

• Time: 12 Noon
• Admission: Free
• Access: Nankai line, Kata Stn, 15-min walk
• kada.jp/awashima