LOTUS :

LOTUS ROOTS

ENTRANT COMPANY :

HAKUHODO INC., TOKYO

TITLE :

MINI ME HINA DOLL

BRAND :

SAKYOU

ADVERTISER :

SAKYOU

AGENCY :

SIGNING LTD., TOKYO/HAKUHODO INC., TOKYO/DAIKO, OSAKA

CREATIVE DIRECTOR :

KATSUYA AONUMA

ART DIRECTOR :

AKARI SAITO

ACCOUNT DIRECTOR :

KATSUSHI SATO

PR DIRECTOR :

NAO TSUKAGOSHI

FILM PRODUCTION COMPANY :

AOI PRO. INC., TOKYO

DIRECTOR :

YOKO ASANO

CAMERAMAN :

YOSHIFUMI MIYAMOTO

FILM PRODUCER :

TAKAHIDE SUZUKI

PRODUCTION MANAGER :

YUSUKE KURIBAYASHI/TATSUYA ONIMARU

LIGHTING :

KATAGI NAOYUKI

EDITOR :

RISA TOMIYASU/MASAKAZU NISHIHARA

COLORIST :

HARUKA OKUTSU

SOUND DESIGNER :

ATSUSHI NARUSE

PRINT PRODUCTION COMPANY :

SPICE, TOKYO

DESIGNER :

MIO YUKI/SOYOKA MIZUNO/HINA SAITO

CULTURAL CONTEXT EXPLANATION :

Traditional Hina Dolls, with their motif of a "man and woman’s wedding," and beliefs like "if you forget to store the dolls after March 3rd, your daughter won't marry," reflect outdated gender norms that don't align with modern values. As a result, they haven't served as a suitable symbol for parents to entrust their hopes for their child's happiness.

However, looking at the origin of Hina Dolls, they were meant to be symbols for the entire family's happiness, not just for young girls.

The Mini Me Hina Doll, which carries family memories, allows everyone in the family to reflect on their individual hopes. It doesn’t break from tradition but rather returns to the original purpose of Hina Dolls as a symbol of family well-being.

BACKGROUND OVERVIEW :

One of Japan’s oldest traditions, "Hina Dolls," has been celebrated for over 1,000 years. These handcrafted dolls, inspired by ancient gendered wedding ceremonies, are displayed in homes with young girls on March 3rd each year.

However, Japan’s declining birthrate and changing views on gender and lifestyle have led younger generations to distance themselves from traditional culture. As a result, the Hina Doll market has shrunk by about 80% over the past 30 years. The Sakyou workshop, which has been making these dolls for over 100 years, faced this challenge and sought to reconnect with modern families.

We identified a unique solution: using children’s outgrown clothing, which holds sentimental value, to create custom-made, one-of-a-kind Hina Dolls. Instead of traditional large dolls inspired by wedding ceremonies, we introduced smaller, compact versions. This made it easier for parents to relate the dolls to their children and envision their future happiness.

By focusing on the shared insight that “children’s memories are treasures,” we successfully revived interest in traditional culture and met the needs of families who had drifted away from it.