DATE:		February 17-April 8, 2007
PLACE:		Kyoto National Museum 527 Chaya-machi, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto
DIRECTION:		City Bus #206, #208, or #100 to Hakubutsukan Sanjusangendo-mae
TEL:		81-75-525-2473
ADMISSION:		Adults - 500 yen, college / high school students - 250 yen, junior high / elementary school students - Free For groups of 20 people or more: Adults - 400 yen, college / high school students - 200 yen, junior high / elementary school students - Free *Discount available for those with children under junior high school age (Adults - 400 yen, college / high school students - 200 yen)
TEXT:		Hina Matsuri, also known as "Momo-no-Sekku" and "Girl’s Festival," announces the arrival of spring.  The annual "Hina Dolls Festival and Doll Exhibition” is held at the Kyoto National Museum.  The exhibit centers around two large hina displays--Kansai’s Goten palace-style and Kanto’s Dan tier-style.  They both trace their history back to the early Edo period.  The exhibit is especially exciting this year because it introduces a Goten-style display from the late Edo period, which was recently donated by an old Kyoto family.  The three-meter-tall hina palace recreates the splendor of Kyoto's Hina Festivals.  The exhibit also introduces other hina doll exhibitions held by the Kyoto National Museum, the Saga Doll House Museum, and Hokyoji Temple, as they all keep and showcase dolls in Kyoto.  As hina doll displays are rather large, they are rarely seen in private residences these days.  Kyoto is the birthplace of doll culture and, on a calm spring day, it is the ideal place to enjoy the lovely hina dolls.