Hina Matsuri is Girls' Day in Japan when dolls are set up to pray for girls' health and success. On March 3rd Awashima Shrine in Wakayama has a doll floating ceremony where Hina dolls are place in wooden boats before being taken to the seaside and floated away.
Floating dolls away is an older tradition of Hina Matsuri where people wanted to send their misfortunes away. Later in the Edo Era (1603-1867) Hina Doll displays were set up representing the Imperial Court of the Heian Era (794-1192) then put away on March 4th.
