March in Tokyo
A local girl’s experience
Every March, our family prepares Hina dolls and celebrates Hinamatsuri.
“Hinamatsuri” refers to the event on March 3rd, where people pray for the healthy growth and well-being of girls. (May 5th is the Boys’ Festival.)
Following the custom of old or floating dolls, Hina dolls are thought to absorb girls’ impurities, acting as a substitute for their misfortune.
They are believed to protect girls from harm and bring happiness in life.
Thus, families prepare Hina dolls during Hinamatsuri, expressing these wishes.
In my parents’ living room, we have two sets of Hina dolls — one for me and one for my sister.
One was originally a gift from my grandma to my mother, and then my mother gave it to me. When my sister was born, my mother got her another set of dolls.
These dolls are passed down from girl to girl in our family. So, when I have a daughter, I’ll give them to her just like my mother did for me.
Every year when it’s time to display the Hina dolls, no matter how busy I may be, I make sure to return home and pray in front of them.
It’s important to my mother, so by praying, I’m showing respect for her feelings.
Personally, Hinamatsuri is an event that reminds me to cherish my mother’s emotions and inspires me to continue treasuring them as I grow older.
So, that was a glimpse into my family tradition.
Now, let me share a bit about myself:
My name is Satoka.
I was born and raised in Tokyo🗼, Japan, and had the opportunity to live and study in the U.S. during high school.
By day, I work as a support engineer at a FinTech company, and by night, I’m a writer.
I enjoy creating and publishing articles online, and I have been doing so consistently for the past year.
My most-viewed piece is my response to the question ‘Why do Japanese female students wear short skirts in winter?’ which has been enjoyed by over 34 million readers.
My favorite book is ‘The Art and Business of Online Writing’ by Nicolas Cole, which has been a game-changer in my approach to online creation.
Outside of work, I find joy in kickboxing🥊, crossfitting🏋️♂️, running🏃♀️, and have recently picked up surfing🏄♀️.
Great to meet everyone, and happy writing!
