What Is the Doll Memorial Service at Awashima Shrine?
Many people struggle with how to say goodbye to their dolls at home.
Throwing them away feels wrong, but Awashima Shrine offers a memorial service for such dolls. You can bring them in person or send them by mail (details may change, so please confirm in advance).
When people hear “doll memorial,” they often imagine traditional Japanese dolls, but soft plush toys are also accepted. Many of the dolls the shrine maidens received were teddy bears and plushies. However, plush toys deteriorate easily outdoors, so they may be stored indoors.
About Awashima Shrine
Awashima Shrine is famous for its Hinanishi Doll Floating Ritual. Dolls from all over Japan gather here and cover the entire shrine grounds. The enshrined deity is Sukunahikona-no-Mikoto, the god of medicine, known for safe childbirth and fertility blessings. It is widely known as a shrine for women.
Cats Who Worked Hard for Good Business
Walking around the grounds, you begin to realize that “dolls” can include many things.
I originally imagined only dolls that would give me guilt—or fear of a curse—if thrown away, but seeing rows of lucky beckoning cats made me realize how hard these charms had worked for their owners’ businesses. No wonder people can’t throw them away. Having a place that will properly handle them is truly helpful.
Foreign Masks Displayed at Awashima Shrine
If a friend travels abroad and gives you a mysterious mask, you might keep it for a while—but as furniture accumulates or you move houses, it becomes a problem to deal with.
Many masks carry protective or spiritual meanings, making them very hard to throw away. Seeing the huge number displayed here, I wondered how everyone found this shrine in the first place.
Dolls That Bring Peace to Awashima Shrine
These dolls are the type often sold in souvenir shops across Japan. They’re difficult to discard, especially if inherited from relatives who cherished them. Seeing them lined up made me reflect on how each one must carry its own story.
Impressions
- They respectfully memorialize sentimental items that are hard to throw away
- You can send items by mail, so no need to visit in person
- The sight of the shrine grounds is overwhelmingly impressive
My whole idea of “memorial services” changed. I used to think of memorials as something you do to avoid curses, but in reality, that’s only a small part of what happens here. Every doll clearly has a story, making this shrine feel like their final resting place.
Some items may look like “just plush toys” to others, but for me, they hold many memories. When something happens to me someday, I hope they will be memorialized here.
I’m grateful that such a place exists as a form of emotional relief.
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