Doll Floating Festival 2018 – One of Japan’s Most Enigmatic Festivals Return!

Japan’s iconic doll festival, known as Hina Nagashi, is a ritualistic celebration that occurs on Girls Day. Awashima Shrine is the best place to experience this festival at its most exuberant. During this celebration, boats contained Japanese dolls are sent out to see and it is widely believed that this practice will bring health and prosperity to the girls whose families donated the dolls. This ancient tradition is believed to have been born in the 8th century.

This is definitely a sight to behold, especially since most of these traditional dolls are quite expensive, and are made with a high level of artistry. Many people from all around the world arrive at Wakayama to experience this, and many providers of Otaru accommodation with examples such as Grand Park Otaru experience surges in reservations during the festival.