A Day for Dolls

On March 3 in Japan, girls dress in colorful kimonos and invite friends over for tea and sweets in front of a display of hina dolls, intricately detailed and costumed figures depicting an ancient emperor, empress and their court. It is the celebration of Hinamatsuri , the Hina Doll Festival, a springtime holiday commemorating children--particularly girls.

The New Otani Hotel in Little Tokyo will have its own version of the Hina Doll Festival, also known as the Peach Festival, on March 7. But rather than a typical display of about 15 ceremonial dolls, the hotel will show off the largest hina dolls in the world--a three-foot emperor and empress made and donated to the hotel by a leading doll maker in Japan.

The elaborate, child-sized dolls are one-of-a-kind and worth thousands of dollars, said hotel spokeswoman Lori Kennedy.

Soh Matsushita, president of Sanwa Doll Co. in Shizuoaka, Japan, donated the dolls because of his longtime friendship with hotel staff members, Kennedy said.

A typical set of ceremonial hina dolls consists of the emperor and empress, their court ladies, generals, musicians and servants. The dolls are displayed on a stand covered with a red cloth, which also includes miniature replicas of household furniture and musical instruments.

The New Otani festivities begin at 1:30 p.m. with the Floating Doll Ceremony in the third-floor garden. Children and adults will set colorful paper dolls in straw boats afloat on the pond to symbolically carry away woes and leave happiness and good health in their wake. A kimono demonstration and fashion show featuring ceremonial and seasonal kimonos will follow at 2 p.m.