The Seavey 'Ohana Happenings: hinamatsuri

It's Hinamatsuri time.

Normally, we don't celebrate the Japanese Girl's Day holiday at all.

Sad, if you think about it, considering we have 3 girls and we probably should have started celebrating it 9 years ago when Kela was born.

But anyway, there was a BIG Japanese Festival at the Convention Center and since Riho had to help out with one of the booths, we all decided to brave the crowds and celebrate this Japanese holiday with the rest of half of Hawaii.

Lookie! They had a huge Hinamatsuri doll set on display and even had some sample Yukata's to try on! We couldn't pass up the opportunity to dress them all up and take a picture to commemorate.

This was the booth that Riho was helping out at.

The girls were given yarn loops and taught the ancient Japanese art of ayatori, otherwise known as, "cat's cradle."

Look at my little Japanese girls!

And then in another booth, they were making ancient Hawaiian canoes!

This Japanese festival wasn't limited to only Japanese cultural activities, it seems.

The kids each picked out their boat pieces and ONE glue-gun weilding person would glue it all together.

Seriously. ONE person! You probably can't see in this picture, but the line was FOREVER LONG!

Anyway, after a LONG time of waiting and waiting, they each finished their boats with nicely decorated sails and everything.

Was it worth it?

Considering these boats probably won't last through the end of the month, probably not...but the kids did enjoy making it and so it's all good.

After boat-making, they each decorated their own hachmaki with stamps to take home.

This also will undoubtedly not last through the end of the month.

By this time, we were pretty wiped out...but the girls really wanted to try their hand at kingyo-sukui, or fishing for duckies with a paper net.

Not as easy as you would think...but they got to take home the little rubber duckies and so they were happy.