hina arare; sweet rice crackers for the Doll Festival
Colorful, bite-sized sweetened rice-flour crackers traditionally offered and eaten during Hinamatsuri (March 3).
There is a custom of eating hina arare on the Doll Festival.
Colorful hina arare were being sold at the supermarket.
Usually written in kana; the kanji spellings 雛あられ and 雛霰 are less common.
Kanji spelling using 雛 (hina doll) and あられ (arare rice cracker).
Full kanji spelling; 霰 is a less common character for arare.
From 雛 (hina, 'doll') + あられ (arare, 'small rice cracker'). The name reflects its association with the Doll Festival.