Katsuura Big Hinamatsuri festival

This major event features hina dolls donated from across Japan and displayed throughout Katsuura City. The festival began in 2001, when 7,000 hina dolls were gifted from Katsuura Town in Tokushima Prefecture. Today, around 25,000 hina dolls decorate the city each year from late February through March 3.

The main venue is the Katsuura City Arts and Culture Exchange Center Küste, where approximately 10,000 hina dolls are displayed. Inside the main hall, a specially constructed tiered platform showcases about 7,000 dolls, creating a dazzling and truly spectacular scene.

At Tomisaki Shrine, hina dolls are arranged daily along a 60-step stone staircase and illuminated at night. If it rains, local residents swiftly work together to remove all the dolls at once-an impressive sight in itself that highlights the community’s teamwork. About a five-minute walk from the shrine, around 600 hina dolls are also displayed at the temple gate of Kakuo-ji, making it well worth visiting both spots together.

Beyond these main sites, hina dolls appear everywhere-from local shops and temples to shrines and even street intersections-turning a stroll through town into a delightful treasure hunt. Various events are also held during the festival period, so be sure to check the schedule while you’re there.