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Children with Dolls
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Every March 3 the children and teachers at
Takasago Kindergarten celebrate Hina Matsuri, Japan's doll festival.
The five Friendship Dolls living at Takasago come out to join in the fun with
the children.
On March 3, 2004, the kindergarten held a
special event called the "Doll Festival Tea Party with the Friendship
Dolls." Special guests dressed in kimonos visited the kindergarten to
show the children the tea ceremony, which included drinking tea and eating
special Japanese snacks.
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Two Girls Drinking Tea
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The children had an opportunity to make their own hina
dolls made of papier-mâché. The two dolls, representing the ancient emperor
and empress of Japan, were painted with colorful kimonos. Their faces were an
unnatural shade of orange, but the children were having so much fun they did
not notice.
Setsu Matsushita, Takasago Kindergarten's
Director, says, "Of course, Helen, Erika, and the
kindergarten's other three Friendship Dolls were there. As the children drank
their tea with serious faces, they were so cute."
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Takasago's Friendship Dolls
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In addition to the school's five Friendship
Dolls, many other dolls came to the tea party. The teachers set up a
seven-tier doll stand in the auditorium, and hina dolls sat and
watched the children as they enjoyed the doll festival. Many other dolls
owned by the kindergarten also came to have fun at the party.
Everyone at Takasago Kindergarten is looking
forward to seeing Friendship Passport, an
exciting and cute play about the history of the Friendship Dolls at Takasago
Kindergarten. The play is scheduled for April 4, 2004.
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