Doll Day

What Is Doll Day?

October 15th is "Doll Day" in Japan. It was established in 1965 by the Japan Doll Association and the Japan Toy and Doll Federation. In 1972, active promotion was suspended on the grounds that "a fundamental review was needed," but the day itself became widely established, and doll memorial services and doll appreciation festivals are held across Japan in connection with it.

Dolls as a Child's "Stand-In"

In Japan, dolls have long been thought to act as "stand-ins" that take on a child's illnesses and injuries. For that reason, dolls that have fulfilled their role are traditionally sent off with proper thanks.

• Established:1965, by the Japan Doll Association and the Japan Toy and Doll Federation
• Suspension:active promotion was suspended in 1972, though the day remained widely known
• Doll memorial services:temples and shrines across Japan hold doll memorial and appreciation ceremonies around this day
• Japan Doll Association:holds a doll appreciation (memorial) festival at Tokyo Daijingu around October each year

What Do You Do with Dolls You No Longer Display?

Many people are unsure what to do with Hina dolls, samurai dolls for Children's Day, or beloved childhood stuffed toys they no longer display. The Japan Doll Association holds a doll appreciation festival in which dolls collected from across the country are purified at a shrine and sent off. Information on doll memorial services can be found on the association's website and elsewhere. The idea of "letting go with gratitude" rather than simply "throwing away" reflects a distinctly Japanese way of relating to objects.

Tips for Marking This Day

• Take another look at dolls stored at your parents' home or in the closet
• Look up doll memorial services at temples and shrines near you
• Recall a doll you treasured as a child
• Learn about the meaning behind Hina dolls and Children's Day dolls

Say "Thank You" to Dolls Full of Memories

Dolls hold the memories of the people who cherished them. October 15th is a day to show gratitude to the dolls around you, whether by caring for them or sending them off with respect.