Welcome to the Colourful World of Tsurushi-bina!

Discover the colourful world of Tsurushi-bina (traditional Japanese hanging hina decorations) while building reading confidence through simple sentence patterns and authentic photographs.

Unlike the elaborate hina doll displays seen during Japan’s Girl’s Day Festival, Tsurushi-bina were lovingly handmade by families who could not afford expensive hina doll sets. Each colourful decoration carries wishes for a child’s happiness, health, and bright future.

Through authentic photographs and repetitive Japanese, learners explore colourful animals, flowers, and traditional decorations while developing both Japanese reading skills and cultural understanding.

Language Features

Students will practise:

• Reading basic descriptive sentences using これは〜です and この〜は〜です
• Learning colours and descriptive vocabulary
• Using そして and でも to connect simple ideas
• Identifying traditional Japanese decorations and cultural objects
• Using authentic photographs to support reading comprehension
• Building reading confidence through repetitive sentence patterns

Details

Japanese Reader Level: 4
Recommended for: Developing Learners
Language Focus: Basic descriptive sentences using これは〜です, この〜は〜です, そして, and でも
Vocabulary Theme: Colours, animals, flowers, traditional Japanese decorations, cultural vocabulary, and descriptive adjectives
Cultural Theme: Tsurushi-bina (traditional Japanese hanging hina decorations), Hinamatsuri (Girl’s Day Festival), and Japanese family traditions

Character Count: 258
Pages: 20
Product Type: A5 saddle-stitched booklet
ISBN: 978-1-925808-01-8

Perfect For

• Beginner Japanese learners
• Primary school Japanese programs
• Beginning secondary school students
• Adult beginners
• Home learning
• Japanese language classrooms
• Discovering authentic Japanese traditions through real-life photographs

💜 A Note from Mariko Sensei

I was born and raised in Japan, and every year my family displayed a traditional five-tier Hina doll set for Girls’ Day. Growing up, I simply assumed that every family celebrated Hinamatsuri in the same way.

It wasn’t until much later that I discovered Tsurushi-bina—beautiful handmade hanging hina decorations. I was genuinely surprised because, despite growing up in Japan, I had never known about this tradition.

When I learned that these handmade decorations were lovingly created by mothers and grandmothers for their children, I was deeply touched. Every rabbit, bird, flower, fish, and tiny ornament carries wishes for a child’s happiness, good health, and bright future. Although Tsurushi-bina is not as widely known as the traditional Hina doll display, I think it is one of Japan’s most heartwarming cultural traditions.

I hope this reader helps learners discover not only new Japanese words, but also one of Japan’s beautiful hidden traditions.

Happy reading!

— Mariko Sensei

📖 Your Next Japanese Reader

• ぼくの にほん — Learn more about Japan through longer descriptive texts and authentic cultural experiences.
• こどものひ — Discover another traditional Japanese celebration through authentic photographs and simple Japanese.
• スイーツ — Explore traditional and modern Japanese sweets while expanding your everyday Japanese vocabulary.

These Japanese readers are intended for individual use and extensive reading (tadoku).

© Mariko Earle. All rights reserved.