Hinamatsuri
As part of the OCG curriculum, students at OCG not only learn about the Japanese language, they also get a chance to learn about the culture and traditions of the Japanese people. One of the major Japanese traditions that occur every year is the celebration of the Hinamatsuri holiday.
Hinamatsuri, also called Momonosekku, occurs on March 3rd every year and is a very special and important day for young girls. All of the Hinamatsuri activities have a significant meaning and their purpose is to ensure that each girl will grow up to be healthy and live happily.
At OCG, the students were able to experience some of the Hinamasturi traditions first-hand and gain a deeper appreciation for the holiday and its meaning:
- Hinaningyo was displayed and each class had a chance to learn about all of the dolls on each level on the Hinadan.
- Hishimochi has three colors, pink (peach flower), white (snow), and green (leaf bud), and is supposed to give children energy from nature. All of the students were given delicious three-color mochi that was carefully prepared by OCG parents
When asked about Hinamatsuri, here are some of the comments made by OCG students:
- Lena Fletcher and Mai Takano: “It was fun because we get special praise and get to eat special food!”
- Maya Rubio: “It’s smart because everyone needs to be blessed in life.”