Kyoto marks Girls' Day

People in Kyoto turned up to the historic Shimogamo Shrine on Saturday to mark Girls' Day.

March 3 is Hina Matsuri, or Girls' Day, in Japan. Families with young daughters often display a set of hina dolls on a tiered staircase.

At the UNESCO World Heritage shrine, a man and woman dressed in ancient court-style costumes played the roles of Odairi-sama, or Emperor doll, and Ohina-sama, or Empress doll.

They placed paper dolls into reed baskets, which they set afloat on a stream.

Children from a local kindergarten also put paper dolls into the water and sang a song celebrating the festival.