Posted on February 24, 2026
DETROIT, MI – The Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) will once again welcome the annual Hinamatsuri (Japanese Girls’ Day) celebration, organized by Japan Cultural Development (JCD), a nonprofit dedicated to fostering friendship between local and Japanese communities through cultural demonstrations. Supported by the Japan Business Society of Detroit, the Consulate General of Japan in Detroit, and the DIA’s Friends of Asian Arts and Cultures, this year’s event promises a vibrant blend of tradition and innovation.
Event Details:
- Date: Sunday, March 1, 2026, from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
- Location: Detroit Institute of Arts
- Admission: Free for residents of Oakland, Macomb, and Wayne counties; all Hinamatsuri events are free.
Program Highlights: Attendees will enjoy five distinct Japanese cultural experiences, including ikebana (flower arrangement), wagashi (Japanese sweets) making, tea serving, sekka shibori (dyeing), and a drop-in origami workshop. Some workshops require tickets due to limited admission.
The female chorus group “Trillium,” affiliated with the JSD Women’s Club, will make its debut stage performance. Additional stage events include kimono dressing and manners instruction, a tea ceremony demonstration, and a koto music performance. Spectacular Hinamatsuri decorations will feature the “Hina-dan” from the Consulate General of Japan in Detroit, a Yamagata Mikoshi (portable shrine), the “Gyo-an teahouse” designed by Mr. Shigeru Uchida, and ikebana displays by masters from Ikebana Int’l Detroit Chapter 85.
Shiga Prefecture, Michigan’s sister prefecture, will host a promotional booth for those interested in visiting Japan. The DIA’s Association of Asian Arts and Cultures will offer a Japan Gallery tour throughout the day.
Special Feature: Friendship Doll “Miss Akita Fukiko” After a complete restoration by Mr. Masaru Aoki, “Akita Fukiko,” a doll from the Detroit Children’s Museum’s collection, will be showcased. The initiative “Miss Akita Fukiko Travels in Michigan” aims to raise her profile statewide, and she is slated for the Centennial Exhibition of Friendship Dolls in Virginia in 2027.
Last year’s introduction of “The Friendship Dolls Story” (written by Hiroshi Yamasaki, illustrated by Mino Watanabe) will continue, with a Japanese-bound book (“Watoji”) available for sale. The book features a Yuzen washi paper cover and traditional Japanese binding. Prints of “Akita Fukiko” by Michigan woodblock artist Ms. Nobuko Yamasaki will also be on display and for sale, with proceeds supporting the preservation of “Miss Akita Fukiko.”
Note: Multiple venues will be used within the DIA; attendees are encouraged to plan their visit accordingly.
