The meaning and history of the four colors of Hina Arare for Hinamatsuri

Hinamatsuri is an ancient Japanese event held to pray for the growth and health of girls.

At the center of this is " Hina Arare "

Hina Arare is made up of a variety of colors such as white, green, pink, and yellow, and represents the changing seasons and nature.

The background to the creation of this candy is the strong desire to wish for the growth of children while experiencing the four seasons of Japan.

In particular, it has become common to eat Hina Arare on March 3rd, known as Girls' Festival , as an event to celebrate the end of the cold winter and the arrival of spring.

The meaning of Hina Arare lies in the wishes that are embedded in each color.

For example, white represents purity , green represents growth and new life, and peach represents happiness.

These colors symbolize Japan's nature and seasonal changes, and represent families' wishes for their children to grow up healthy.

This ancient custom is still cherished in many households today.

Hina arare, the symbol of Hinamatsuri , is not just a sweet, but an important thing that is used to pray for the happiness and health of the family.

Experiencing this tradition will be an opportunity for your children to reaffirm Japan's rich culture and family ties.

Hina arare, which appears during Hinamatsuri, is distinctive for its colorful appearance.

Hina Arare is made up of colorful sweets in white, green, peach, and yellow, each with a deep meaning . These colorful hues symbolize the four seasons and nature of Japan, making it a symbolic celebration of spring.

First of all, white represents purity and sincerity, and symbolizes the snow of winter and a pure heart.

Next, green represents new buds and growth, signifying the arrival of spring and the beginning of life. Peach (red) symbolizes happiness and love, and is filled with wishes for health and longevity.

Yellow represents abundance and harvest, and is considered to be the color of wishes for natural blessings and stability.

One of the reasons Hina Arare is an essential part of Hinamatsuri is the symbolism of its color .

By eating the colorful Hina Arare, people pray for the health and happiness of their families and can feel the change of seasons.

By understanding the meaning of these colors, your children will be able to connect with Japanese culture on a deeper level and it will be an important experience celebrating the arrival of spring with your family .

The Hina arare rice crackers celebrated during Hinamatsuri are known to have different flavors and shapes in the Kanto and Kansai regions.

The differences between regions reflect their culture and history, and while they are traditional sweets, you can enjoy variations that reflect the characteristics of each region.

In the Kanto region , Hina Arare is generally made of popped rice the size of a grain of rice, coated with a sweet sugar coating , while in the Kansai region, Hina Arare is based on salt or soy sauce flavor and has a texture similar to that of okaki rice crackers.

While Kanto Hina Arare is mainly sweet , Kansai Hina Arare is characterized by more mature flavors such as salt and soy sauce . This difference comes from the food culture and history of each region, and the background is that Kanto has a deep-rooted custom of offering sweet snacks at festivals, while Kansai prefers the simple flavors of salt and soy sauce.

Tasting Hina Arare from both regions will expand the ways you can enjoy Hinamatsuri and also provide an opportunity for families to learn about the cultural differences between each region.

Hinamatsuri is not just a celebration; it is a wonderful event that allows you to feel the diverse traditions of Japan through these differences in taste and culture .

The reason for eating Hina Arare on Hinamatsuri comes from the traditional custom of praying for the health and happiness of girls.

The origin of this event dates back to the imperial court ceremony of the Heian period. At that time, a ritual called "Nagashi-bina" was held in which dolls made of paper or grass were floated down rivers or into the sea to ward off evil spirits. This tradition later evolved into the custom of displaying Hina dolls in homes, and the meaning of praying for the healthy growth of girls was also included.

Hina arare started to appear after the Edo period.

In particular, on March 3rd, known as " Peach Festival ," the custom of families decorating dolls and eating Hina Arare while celebrating the arrival of spring became widespread. Hina Arare's colorful colors symbolize the rebirth of spring flowers and nature, and eating it is a prayer for the happiness and prosperity of the family.

Eating Hina Arare is not just a custom, but an important act of praying for the growth of girls and the happiness of the family. Even today, this tradition continues in many households, and eating Hina Arare on Hinamatsuri is an opportunity for the whole family to feel the rich culture and nature of Japan and celebrate the beginning of a new life .

Hina arare is an essential part of Hinamatsuri, and can be easily made at home or purchased commercially.

Homemade Hina Arare made with organic and low-sugar ingredients is especially recommended for health-conscious families. By making it yourself, you can enjoy preparing for Hina Matsuri while sharing time with your family.

First, the base of the rice crackers is made from glutinous rice or non-glutinous rice .

These are then lightly fried and coated with sugar and natural ingredients to create the simple and delicious Hina Arare.

For coloring, we use natural colorings to give the cake a healthy finish, such as beetroot for red, matcha or spinach powder for green, and pumpkin powder for yellow.

When making Hina Arare by hand, it's a good idea to make it together with your children.

By explaining the origin and meaning of Hina Arare while making it, Hinamatsuri will not just be a celebration, but a time to strengthen family bonds.

It will be a wonderful experience where you can share the joy of welcoming a new season with the arrival of spring, gathering around the Hina Arare that your family made together.

The Hina Arare rice cakes that appear during Hinamatsuri symbolize the changing seasons and nature.

Among them, the four colorful colors of Hina Arare are particularly noteworthy. Each of these colors has a deep meaning, and important messages to pray for the health and happiness of families are hidden.

First of all, white symbolizes winter snow and purity, and means staying clean even in the harsh season.

Next, green represents the budding of spring and is a symbol of growth and new life , and peach (red) is the color of happiness, health, and longevity, and is imbued with the wish for family happiness.

Finally, yellow represents abundance and the blessings of the earth, and is considered to be a color that expresses gratitude for the blessings of nature.

In this way, the four colors of Hina Arare are not just decorative sweets, but also play an important role in celebrating Japanese nature and the changing seasons.


By eating Hina Arare on Hinamatsuri, the whole family can sense the beginning of a new season and welcome new hope with the arrival of spring.

Traditional hina arare (rice crackers) are an essential part of Hinamatsuri , but in recent years, a more modern version called " chocolate hina arare " has also become popular.

The sweet and delicious chocolate-coated Hina Arare is especially popular among children. While cherishing the traditional meaning of Hina Arare, it has become established as a new snack that suits modern lifestyles.

These Choco Hina Arare are regular Hina Arare coated in chocolate and come in a variety of flavours, including bitter, milk, and white chocolate .

Children especially love sweets, so they are becoming very popular as a Hinamatsuri treat. They also look gorgeous, and the addition of chocolate to the colorful Hina Arare makes the Hinamatsuri table even brighter.

These modern chocolate Hina Arare treats combine tradition with modern trends to create a new style of treat that the whole family can enjoy.

You and your family can enjoy new flavors while enjoying the atmosphere of Doll's Festival.

" Hina arare " and " hishi mochi ", which appear during Hinamatsuri , are both essential sweets for the Doll's Festival, but they each have different roles and meanings.

Both are used to wish for the growth and happiness of girls, but there are differences in their origins and symbolism.

First of all, Hina Arare is a colorful sweet that represents the four seasons in Japan. The four colors, green, white, pink (red), and yellow, respectively symbolize the budding of spring, the purity of winter, health, and abundance, and are meant to pray for the health and prosperity of families.

Hina Arare is also widely eaten as a lucky charm to pray for the healthy growth of girls and happiness in the family.

On the other hand, hishi mochi is made of three layers of mochi, and the colors also have deep meanings . From the bottom up, the layers are green, white, and pink, with the green representing "earth and budding," the white representing "purity," and the pink representing "warding off evil spirits" and "health."

The diamond shape of hishimochi itself represents a wish for longevity, and it is displayed together with Hina dolls during Hinamatsuri.

Thus, although Hina Arare and Hishi Mochi each have different meanings, they are both essential sweets for the Doll's Festival.

Enjoying both will allow the whole family to experience Japanese traditions and the blessings of nature, and it will be a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the arrival of spring.

" Hina Arare ", which is served during Hinamatsuri , is not just a traditional sweet, but also contains health benefits.

In particular, there has been an increase in Hina Arare that is low in sugar and made from organic ingredients, aimed at health-conscious families, and can be safely fed to children.

Regular Hina Arare is made from glutinous rice or non-glutinous rice , and is lightly seasoned with sugar and salt.

Glutinous rice is rich in vitamins and minerals and is an excellent source of energy.

Furthermore, Hina Arare is colored using natural ingredients, making it healthier, and many products on the market do not use synthetic colorings.

Eating Hina Arare on Hinamatsuri also symbolizes praying for the health and prosperity of one's family .

Each colorful hues has a meaning that represents wishes for health and happiness, and gathering together with the whole family to eat Hina Arare can help raise awareness of health.

Hina arare not only adds color to the Doll's Festival, but is also a sweet that represents wishes for the healthy growth of children.

Using nutritious ingredients makes this a safe dish that the whole family can enjoy, and it will be an event that allows you to feel the deeper meaning of Hinamatsuri.

The " hina arare " rice crackers eaten on Hinamatsuri vary in taste and shape depending on the region, reflecting the traditions and culture of each region.

The differences are particularly noticeable between Kanto and Kansai , with each region's Hina Arare having different flavors and characteristics.

In the Kanto region , the type of Hina Arare that is often eaten is " Pongashi ," which is about the size of a grain of rice and has a light texture and a sweet sugar coating.

They are easy for children to eat, and their colorful appearance adds to the festive atmosphere of Hinamatsuri. On the other hand, Hina arare in the Kansai region is generally similar to " okaki ".

Made from glutinous rice, it has a strong salty and soy sauce flavor that adults can enjoy as well.

Depending on the region, there are also variations that add brown sugar or chocolate to Hina Arare, and products that cater to more modern tastes are on the rise.

Tasting the different Hina Arare that come from each region is one of the joys of Hinamatsuri and is also a great opportunity to learn about the diversity of food culture .

By enjoying the regional differences in Hina Arare with your family and experiencing Hina Matsuri on a deeper level, you will be able to rediscover Japan's rich culture.

More than just a celebration, Girls' Festival is a wonderful opportunity to experience Japanese traditions through these regional differences.

Recently, in addition to the traditional Hina Arare, organic and health-conscious Hina Arare have become popular for Hinamatsuri .

Many families are prioritizing their children's health and are increasingly choosing natural Hina Arare rice crackers that contain no chemical additives.

The organic Hina Arare snacks are coloured using natural ingredients such as beets, matcha green tea and pumpkin, without any synthetic colouring or preservatives.

This makes it safe for children to eat and is also healthy. Low-sugar and additive-free products are also on the rise, and new Hina Arare varieties that suit modern lifestyles are constantly appearing.

Meanwhile, chocolate-coated and fruit-flavored Hina Arare are also popular.

These new variations maintain the tradition while also being adapted to suit the tastes of modern families. Chocolate Hina Arare in particular has proven to be a big hit with children and is fast becoming a new Hinamatsuri staple.

In this way, in addition to the traditional Hina Arare, many health-conscious and trendy products are appearing for Hinamatsuri.

It's a wonderful opportunity to cherish Hinamatsuri traditions and celebrate the health and growth of children while choosing sweets that the whole family can enjoy.

Hinamatsuri is a traditional Japanese event that prays for the healthy growth and happiness of girls.

In particular, eating Hina Arare together as a family is an important custom that is an essential part of this event.

Hina-arare celebrates natural change and family health through colorful colors and their symbolic meanings: white represents purity , green represents the emergence of new life , and pink represents happiness and longevity , allowing the whole family to feel the coming of spring .

Eating Hina Arare is more than just a meal.

By reaffirming the cycle of nature and family ties, and by exposing children to this tradition, they can gain a deeper understanding of Japan's rich culture. Hinamatsuri is a precious opportunity to bring harmony with nature back into everyday life and to wholeheartedly enjoy the arrival of spring with the whole family.

Celebrating Hinamatsuri and eating Hina Arare is also a way of passing on this rich culture and the importance of family to the next generation.

Please enjoy this wonderful traditional event with your family while feeling the change of seasons and praying for health and happiness.