Hinamatsuri breathing with history and culture

Doll platforms at Chokokan lined with the Nabeshima family’s doll decorations

The ”Saga castle Hinamatsuri” announces the arrival of spring to the castle town of Saga. The event venue is the area around the moat of the Saga Castle and the Nagasaki Kaido road which is filled with the retro atmosphere. The old days come back in the sepia color. It feels as the Ohina-sama laughter lingers around the city streets.

Nabeshima family’s hina-kazari and Nabeshima patterns, the elegance of Saga Nishiki

1-cm wide inkstone case (silver doll accessory), Chokokan

The city of Saga flourished as the castle town worth 360,000 koku of rice in the Saga Domain. The high quality and elegance of local Hinamatsuri is exuberant.
At Chokokan, two big hina-kazari with the size of 6 and 5 meters in length will welcome you. Approximately 500 dolls and accessories which used to be actually displayed in the house of Marquis Nabeshima, one of the Saga clan lords, are lined up there. Hina-kazari which were loved by the women in the past from the Meiji period to the early Showa period combines the luxury and dignity which are suitable for the houses of daimyos and the marquises. In addition to this, the collection of 176 rare miniature silver doll accesories of Mrs. Teiko who married from the Marquis Kuroda family (the lord of Fukuoka) into the Nabeshima family is also a must-see. Also, at each venue of the Saga Municipal Historical Folk Museum you should see the Ohina-sama dressed in costumes with the Nabeshima pattern called ”otomegata”, which was used as the pattern of the Saga Domain’s official clothing, very elegant Ohina-sama dressed in Saga Nishiki which is a representative of traditional crafts and ”Nabeshima Dantsu”, a Japanese carpet from Saga boasting a history of 340 years.

The Chokokan which is one of the venues is located at the edge of the northern moat of the Saga Castle, and along with the Saga Shrine and the Matsubara Shrine it tells the history of the Nabeshima family. Also, it conveys the bustle of an old town which used to thrive along the Nagasaki Kaido road. The Saga Municipal History Folk Museum is a collection of 7 buildings: ”Former Koga Bank”, ”Former Koga Residence”, ”Former Ushijima Residence”, ”Former Sansho Bank”, ”Former Fukuda Residence”, ”Former Morinaga Residence” and ”Former Hisatomi Residence” and their historic appearances from the Edo to the Taisho periods harmoniously match the appearance of the Ohina-sama.
These buildings are in the middle along the Nagasaki Kaido road, and the cityscape with them is also amazing.

Staircace dolls at the former Koga bank building

Besides, during the Hinamatsurii period, there are about 50 shops which are open for customers. Events such as the full-scale ”Saga Castle Antique City (3/1 - 3/3)” are to be held.

<The Hina Kaiseki dishes>
During the Saga Castle Hinamatsuri period, at hotels, ryokans and restaurants the ”Hina Kaiseki” food will be served. At the cafe Romanza located inside the former Koga Bank building, which is also a festival venue, there are ”Hina kaiseki” snacks, etc.