Shichi-go-san is a traditional Japanese feast celebrating 7-year-old, 5-year-old, and 3-year-old children . Shichi-go-san means seven-five-three in Japanese. It is traditionally observed on November 15th, which is considered a lucky day that is free of roaming oni (demons). Today, most families celebrate Shichi-go-san on any weekend during the month of November. On the island of Hokkaido, and in other colder northern areas of Japan, the holiday is often observed in October.
Boys who have reached the ages of 3 and 5, and girls who have reached the ages of 3 and 7 engage in various rites of passage to celebrate Shichi-go-san. Traditionally, 3-year-olds underwent a kamioki ritual on celebration day. Prior to that day, a child’s hair was regularly shaved to keep it from growing long, as parents believed that this would encourage the later growth of more luxurious hair. During the kamioki, children were given a white wig to wear, which served as a symbol for the long life that their families desired for them. After the kamioki, the children’s hair was allowed to grow out.
During the Shichi-go-san festival, families make a shrine visit and pray to a kami (spirit deity) for their children’s protection. The children thank the kami for allowing them to survive through their infancy. Children are dressed in traditional attire for their visit to the shrine. At the age of 5, boys begin wearing the hakama, a formal men’s trouser. Girls begin wearing the adult size obi (kimono sash) at age 7. Though the celebration requires a shrine visit, Shichi-go-san is more of a social than religious occasion, allowing families, relatives, and neighbors to gather together.
Historians believe the Shichi-go-san celebration began during the Tokugawa period. Around 1700, the fifth shogun (warrior ruler) Tokugawa Tsunayoshi wished to pray for the health of his eldest son, Tokugawa Tokumatsu. High child mortality rates led to the popularization of the holiday in and around Edo (now Tokyo ). The festival eventually spread to Kyoto and Osaka , and later to the rest of Japan.
Today, many Japanese businesses commercialize Shichi-go-san. Photography studios encourage parents to memorialize the occasion with a family photo. As the holiday approaches, department stores focus on selling children’s traditional attire. Many businesses sell chitose ame (thousand-year candy), a rod-shaped candy packaged in an oblong bag decorated with good-luck symbols. Some hotels arrange elaborate parties to celebrate Shichi-go-san.
