Children’s songs, folk songs, and nursery rhymes for Hinamatsuri (Girls’ Day)
Did you know that besides the famous Hina Matsuri song “Ureshii Hinamatsuri,” there are many other songs for the Doll Festival? In this article, we’ll introduce children’s songs, folk songs, and traditional play songs related to Hina Matsuri.
“I want to hear that song I listened to as a child,” “We sing ‘Ureshii Hinamatsuri’ every year… I’d like to try other songs too.” If that sounds like you, be sure to check out the Hina Matsuri songs we’re about to introduce! Each song has its own unique melody and lyrics, so you’re sure to enjoy the festival with a fresh feeling!
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Hinamatsuri children's songs, folk songs, and nursery rhymes (11–20)
Hinasama Kosamachildren’s song
There are lots of songs that are perfect to play while putting out and arranging Hina dolls, or while enjoying Hina Matsuri! Among them, “Hinasama Kosama” is a song that’s just right for when the festival is over and it’s time to put everything away.
It carries feelings of gratitude to the Hina dolls for this year and the hope of seeing them again next year.
Cleaning up after the Hina dolls have been displayed so beautifully and the festival was so lively can feel a little lonely, can’t it? This traditional children’s song gently eases that sense of sadness.
Hinamatsuri PrincessLyrics and Music by Toshihiko Shinzawa
Hinamatsuri Princess is a song that lets girls fully enjoy the spotlight on Girls’ Day by becoming the Hina doll herself.
The piece was created by Toshihiko Shinzawa, a songwriter-composer known for many famous children’s songs and also a picture book author.
Set to a pop and charming melody, it expresses a wish to celebrate Hinamatsuri all around the world.
Just by playing the song, the atmosphere feels as bright and festive as if everything were dyed the pink of peach blossoms.
Like this song, try becoming a princess Hina doll yourself and sing along cutely!
Floating Doll RitualLyrics by Yuriko Sano / Music by Urato Watanabe
This is a work by composer Urato Watanabe, who wrote pieces for orchestra and wind band, the incidental music for the anime Osomatsu-kun, and numerous school songs.
The title Nagashibina refers to an ancient traditional rite said to be a precursor to Hinamatsuri (Girls’ Day).
Even today, it is observed in various regions as a folk event in which dolls are set afloat on a river to carry away impurities.
While listening to the piece, you might tell children, “In the old days, we would set the hina dolls on little boats and send them downstream,” and try making hina dolls and an imperial couple out of origami.
Hinamatsuri (Doll Festival/Girls’ Day)Eiko Hirai
In the Japanese calendar, Hinamatsuri corresponds to the Peach Festival.
This custom is said to originate from the ancient Chinese theory of yin-yang and the five elements, and we can see that there are various regional practices, all wishing for girls to have good matches in different ways.
What were the customs like in your hometown? This might be a good opportunity to ask an older person about them.
Hinamatsuri (Doll Festival / Girls' Day)Monbushō Shōka (Ministry of Education Songs)
Despite its title being written with difficult kanji as “Hinamatsuri,” this is a Ministry of Education shoka (school song) with a brighter melody than the well-known Hinamatsuri song “Ureshii Hinamatsuri.” Listening to it tells you which hina dolls are arranged on the tiered stand and what decorations and sweets are set out.
It goes on to say that when you look at the dolls and the surrounding ornaments, it feels like a dream world or a fairytale realm.
It’s a song that conveys the glittering, splendid appearance of the hina dolls.
Eve of the Doll Festival
It’s a nursery song of unknown authorship.
The title is “Hinamatsuri no Yoi,” pronounced “Hina no Yoi.” Like “Sakura” and other traditional Japanese pieces, it’s composed using a Japanese pentatonic scale.
Among nursery songs and children’s tunes associated with Hinamatsuri (the Doll Festival), this one, in particular, has a calm atmosphere and an elegant, courtly feel.
Hinamatsuri nursery rhymes, folk songs, and children's songs (21–30)
Doll FestivalLyrics by Nobuo Saitō / Music by Minoru Kainuma
Many of the melodies are reminiscent of the counter-melody from “Ureshii Hinamatsuri,” and if you play both songs simultaneously, the chorus would probably harmonize beautifully.
As with other children’s songs, the traditional Japanese scale is lovely and full of emotion.
I’m also a bit curious about who the Miyochan mentioned in the song is.