Chiba Prefecture Charms - Nakayama Hinamatsuri

The warmer temperatures and sunny skies in the Kanto region drew me out of the house this weekend to Ichikawa City across the Edo River from Tokyo. I've told you before about the Nakayama Sando, the approach to Hokekyoji, the Kamakura-era temple with ties to Nichiren, the inconoclastic Buddhist monk. The sando is a retro shopping street, and the temple is interesting any time of year.

In spring, Nakayama HInamatsuri brings out all the dolls for the festival. Dozens of shops display dolls of all kinds. When I stopped in at a cafe, I got a map of the events and displays. The festival runs from mid-February until March 3rd.

A set of kimekomi dolls - the costumes pressed into incised lines on the dolls' bodies

The air smells sweet as the Kanto region's plums and early blooming sakura, kawazu zakura, bloom during the festival. It's a visual and olfactory experience around the temple grounds.

The fleeting blosoms, statuary, and pagoda are photogenic

Wondering what all the dolls are about and how they are ranked and displayed? There's an app for that! Hinadan - 雛壇 - a simple app on the Google Play and Apple platforms, congratulates you when you arrange the dolls in the right places.

How and where are you observing Hinamatsuri this year?