Hina Doll Festival 2026: Events and Exhibitions Around Tokyo

Hina Doll Events in 2026

Celebrated on March 3 (Girl’s Day) each year in Japan, Hina Matsuri is a traditional cultural festival dedicated to the health and happiness of young girls.

The day is perhaps best known for its unique custom of displaying distinctive Hina dolls in homes and public spaces. These exquisitely dressed dolls represent Japan’s imperial court.

Below, we detail several exciting Hina doll events taking place in Tokyo and eastern Japan in 2026. Many of these are not just limited to March 3—with some taking place throughout early spring!

2026 Hina Doll Events in Tokyo and Tohoku

Events in and Near Tokyo
1. Special Exhibition at the Iwatsuki Ningyo Museum
2. Hanging Hina Doll Displays at Inatori Onsen
3. Makabe Hina Doll Festival
4. Katsuura Bikkuri Hina Matsuri
5. The World of Hina Dolls Exhibition at the Toyama Memorial Museum
Events in the Tohoku Region
6. Tono Machiya Hina Matsuri
7. Sakata Hina Kaido

1. Special Exhibition at the Iwatsuki Ningyo Doll Museum

Image courtesy of the Iwatsuki Ningyo Museum

Located a short distance from Tokyo, the Iwatsuki Ningyo Museum is a must-visit for those interested in traditional Japanese dolls, or ningyo. The museum was opened in 2020 in Saitama Prefecture’s historic doll-making district of Iwatsuki, and aims to familiarize the public with the traditional craft and culture associated with Japanese dolls.

Alongside its extensive permanent collection, the museum hosts a major special exhibition each spring for Hina Matsuri.

From January 24 to March 22, 2026, "Miniatures and the Ningyo Museum Hina Dolls" showcases exquisite Edo-period miniature Keshihina dolls and ultra-small accessories.

The display highlights the evolution of miniature craftsmanship, ranging from meticulously realistic Edo pieces to imaginative Meiji, Taisho, and Showa-era kawari-bina dolls.

The town of Iwatsuki will also hold a unique two-week event dedicated to Hina dolls called the Machikado Hina Meguri.

Various stores in the town’s shopping district will sell and display stunning Hina dolls, specialist craft workshops will be available, and exclusive meals and sweets will be on offer at many restaurants in the area!

Miniatures and the Ningyo Museum Hina Dolls

Address: Saitama Prefecture, Iwatsuki-ku, 6-1-1 Honmachi
Exhibition Dates: January 24 - March 22, 2026
Hours: 9:00 -17:00 (last admission at 16:30)
Holidays: Closed Mondays (except for February 24 and March 3)
Admission: 300 yen for adults *discounts available for students
Website: https://ningyo-muse.jp/modules/info/index.php?action=PageView&page_id=13

Machikado Hina Meguri Festival

Address: Outside the East Exit of Iwatsuki Station
Date: February 21 - March 8, 2026 (opening times vary depending on the venue)
Website: Machikado Hina Festival

2. Hanging Hina Doll Displays at Inatori Onsen

Just two hours away from Tokyo, Izu’s Inatori Onsen hot spring town celebrates Hina Matsuri in a truly unique way.

Various venues in the town are decorated with stunning displays of hanging Hina dolls—a tradition that is believed to have started during the Edo Period.

Unable to afford expensive Hina dolls themselves, many people in Inatori chose to celebrate their daughters’ happiness by crafting tiny dolls from pieces of cloth and displaying them on red string.

This beautiful tradition continues today, and stunning displays can be enjoyed at 3 main venues—Inatori Culture Park Hina Hall, Hina Hall Mukai-an, and the Staircase Hina Doll Display at Susanoo Shrine..

Inatori is also a wonderful stop for a relaxing hot spring retreat!

Address: Shizuoka Prefecture, Kamo District, Higashi-Izu, Inatori
Date: January 20 - March 31, 2026 (opening times vary depending on the venue)
Website: https://inatorionsen.or.jp/hina/

3. Makabe Hina Doll Festival

Image courtesy of Ibaraki Guide

Each year in the Makabe District of Sakuragawa residents and businesses alike create stunning Hina doll displays—many featuring dolls passed down through families for generations.

The displays are free for visitors to enjoy, and the tradition started as a way to encourage people to come to the town during the colder months.

Many of Makabe’s shops and restaurants are beautifully decorated during this period. Get a taste of traditional culture as a part of daily life at Makabe this spring!

Address: Ibaraki Prefecture, Sakuragawa City, Makabecho
Date: Early February until early March 2026 (please note: many shops in the area are closed on Wednesdays)
Website: https://visit.ibarakiguide.jp/en/sightseeing/22337/

4. Katsuura Bikkuri Hina Matsuri

Photo by Pixta

Katsuura, a city in Tokyo’s neighboring Chiba Prefecture, celebrates spring with a range of lively Hina doll displays all across town!

There will be multiple events and venues—including at two of Katsuura’s shrines and at the city hall itself. Some venues will also be illuminated in the evenings.

The coastal city is also famous for its stunning ocean scenery. Why not go on a Hina doll display pilgrimage across Katsuura this spring?

Address: Chiba Prefecture, Katsuura-shi
Date: February 21 - March 3, 2026
Hours: 09:00 -19:00 (opening times may vary depending on the venue)
Website: https://www.city.katsuura.lg.jp/site/hinamatsuri/

5. The World of Hina Dolls Exhibition at the Toyama Memorial Museum

Picture from the Toyama Memorial Museum website

The Toyama Memorial Museum in Saitama Prefecture is hosting an exhibition tracing the history and development of Hina dolls; displaying a wide range of dolls from the Edo Period (1603-1868) up until the Showa Period (1926-1989).

The exhibition will feature several notable pieces, including standing Hina dolls, silk dog figurines, and a ‘fox wedding’ from the late Edo Period.

Address: Saitama Prefecture, Hiki District, Kawajima, 675 Shiroinuma
Date: February 7 - March 15, 2026
Hours: 10:00 - 16:30 (last entry at 16:00)
Holidays: Closed Mondays (except on National Holidays - closed the following day)
Admission: 800 yen for adults
Website: https://www.e-kinenkan.com/exhibit/index.html

6. Tono Machiya Hina Matsuri

Image courtesy of Tono Furusato Shosha Co., Ltd.

Japan’s northern Tohoku Region has a particularly rich history in relation to Hina Matsuri traditions, and the area boasts some of Japan’s most stunning Hina doll displays.

Each year from late February to early March, houses and shops in Iwate Prefecture’s Tono create stunning Hina doll displays, often featuring dolls passed down through generations—some even dating back to the Edo Period.

Specialty foods and sweets are also available at many restaurants in the area around Tono Station.

Tono has a long history of creating and displaying Hina dolls, and there was a custom of going from house to house, asking to be shown their Hina dolls.

Tono Hina Doll Matsuri
Dates: February 20 - March 5, 2026
Address: Tono Municipal Museum and various venues near JR Tono Station (Iwate Prefecture)
Website: https://tonojikan.jp/event/tono-hinamatsuri/ (Japanese)

7. Sakata Hina Kaido

Due to its history as a port town and trade connections with Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka, Sakata is now home to a large range of stunning historical Hina dolls—some dating back to the Edo Period.

From March 1, the charming town of Sakata will he holding several elaborate displays featuring a variety of exquisite Hina dolls, including at the treasure hall of Shonai Shrine.

This one-month event is known as Sakata Hina Kaido ("Hina Doll Road of Sakata") and features exquisite historic Hina dolls that reveal the depth of this tradition in Japan.

Sakata Hina Kaido
Dates: March 1 - April 3, 2026
Address: Yamagata Prefecture, Sakata City
Website: https://sakata-kankou.com/event/30658

Discover Japan’s Rich Historical Traditions This Hina Matsuri

Delve deep into Japan’s traditional past and discover exquisitely crafted dolls this spring at the Hina Matsuri Doll Festival!