Hinas' Journey

The Omoigawa River is a river which flows from north to south through Oyama City in Tochigi prefecture.

Every year, on the first Sunday of July , an annual event called 'nagshibina' is held on the Omoigawa. During this Event , dolls made with a kind of Japanese paper, 'Shimotsuke-shibori' are put on straw boats , and they are floated in the river.

For a long time , people living around this river have customarily believed that floating dolls with their hopes can make their dreams come true.

They say that the name 'Omoigawa' may come from this simple faith. But this traditional custom come down to people has been forgotten completely since the end of World War II.

Forty years ago, Sigeo Suwa, the only successor of the technique of making Shimotsuke-sibori came across a woman by the Omoigawa on the evening of the Tanabata Festival.

They promised each other to receive this dramatic custom as well as Shimotsuke-shibori. The woman was Shizuko Suwa , who then became the head of 'Shimotsuke-doll' .

This is the way the annual event 'Nagashi-bina' started.

Source: http://www.oyamanishi-h.ed.jp/omoigawa/nagasibina/hina_1/hina_1_e.html