2. The origin of Hinamatsuri is an ancient Chinese practice in which the sin of the body and misfortune are transferred to a doll, and then removed by abandoning the doll on a river. Originally, the paper dolls were made to represent each person and all the ill-fortunes that might visit that person in the coming year were wished onto the doll. Then the doll was sent away on the river, taking the bad luck with it.
3. People display Hina-ningyou (special dolls which are only for this festival). The dainty little figurines depict the hierarchy of the Heian Period (794-1192) court life starting with the Emperor and Empress and going down through the ranks. Displaying dolls in this way dates back to the reign of the Shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu (1623-51). It is said that ministers presented a set of hina dolls to his eldest daughter on her seventh birthday and the practice of giving and displaying dolls spread throughout the court and amongst noble families. The festival itself however dates back much further.
4. The dolls wear costumes of the imperial court during the Heian period (794-1192) and are arranged on a five or seven-tiered stand covered with a red carpet. At the top are the Emperor and Empress. The next step contains three court ladies (sannin-kanjo), followed by five musicians (gonin-bayashi), two ministers (udaijin and sadaijin) and three servants ending the bottom row in a five-tiered display.
5. A girl usually receives a set of hina dolls from her parents or grandparents at birth or on her first birthday, and these traditionally become a part of the bridal trousseau. Most families take their beautiful collection of dolls out of the closet around mid-February and put it away again as soon as Hina Matsuri is over. This is because of an old superstition that families that are slow in putting back the dolls have trouble marrying off their daughters.
6. Symbols: Hishi-mochi (diamond-shaped rice cakes) are special rice cakes for Dolls Day. They are colored red (or pink), white and green. The red is for chasing evil spirits away, the white is for purity, and the green is for health. Peach blossoms, symbolizing a happy marriage, are indispensable decorations of this festival day. The blossoms signify the feminine traits -- of gentility, composure and tranquility.
7. Doll Festival Song:
Akari o tsukemasyo bonbori ni
O hana o agemasyo momo no hana
Gonin-bayashi no fue daiko
Kyoo wa tanoshii hinamatsuri
English Translation
Let's light the lanterns on the tiered stand
Let's set peach flowers on the tiered stand
Five court musicians are playing flutes and drums
Today is a joyful Dolls Day
Sources Used
Web Japan: http://web-jpn.org/index.html
Japan File: http://www.japanfile.com/
Japan Visitor: http://www.japanvisitor.com 
