Shrubbery's Travel Page 4

A traditional Japanese display of dolls for Girls' Day. This set consists of the emperor and empress dolls at the top, ladies-in-waiting on the second dais, courtiers, musicians and servants. To round things off there are doll-sized offerings and instruments found in the old imperial court.

These dolls are quite pricey, and are usually bought by grandparents for their granddaughters. Several Japanese families still possess heirloom sets, handed down from mother to daughter. Originally the dolls were not this elaborate. Instead of a full court, it was only the emperor and empress. In many Japanese households that is the prefered setting, since there is no room for such an elaborate display.

A common superstition associated with these dolls admonish any mother who leaves the set out long after Girls' Day, for they would be condeming their daughters to a longer stint at spinsterhood.

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Picture credits: J. T. Hill