Shichigosan
In November,there is a custom which probably unique to Japan. it is a custom called "Shichigosan". On 15th of November,parents take their kids to shrine and pray. Interesting thing is that,boys that go to shrine on November 15th are at age 3 years and 5 years old,girls are at age 3 years old and 7 years old.
The kids wear kimono or suits on such special days and they visit shrine pray for their health and growth.
In Japanese 7 is shichi,5 is go, and 3 is San. So,now you know why the custom is called shichigosan.
According to Japanese website turugamine, it states that this custom has started around heian era,where popular Hikaru genji story was born. Around that era, many kids did not grow to adult age and death rate was high. Therefore, people goes to shrine to pray for their health and growth. At this time,kids did not go at certain age. The custom for kids to visit shrine on certain age has started around Edo era,when shogun Tokugawa's name was popular.
Since the old era, odd number was good luck numbers,except 9. In Japanese,9 is ku and it means suffering and people does not like number 9. Among even numbers, 8 is good for merchants because the number supposedly good number for it brings prosperity. Number 4 is people do not like most because 4 in Japanese is shi and it means death. Many countries have good,bad numbers and depending on where you are from,the number people like would be different.
Anyway, around Heian era, 3 years old is when kids started growing hair. At 5 years old,boys start wearing hakama,which is like long skirt but it is like a pants. You can see picture here ( It is from Japanese website,the letters on the website may comes up funky on your computer). At 7 years old,girls start wearing kimono that has Obi (kind of like belt in your sense. It goes around your waist and made from kimono material). You can see Kimono Obi here. Upper right picture has Obi;thing you see around waist line.That is Obi.
This custom was first spread only around Shogun/Samurai families,but as days pass by,it started spreading more to average families. Then,we started calling the custom "shichigosan" much later around Meiji era.
If your kids at age 3,5,7 visit shrine in kimono or hakama on 15th of November,they would come home with chitose ame. What is chitose ame?
Chitose ame is red and white stripe candy sticks. Chitose means "one thousand year", and Ame means "candy". Kids get the candy from superstition belief of longevity. Here is a picture of Chitose ame from chitose ame candy factory website. Again,this website is in Japanese.
Do you have any unique custom to your countries?
The kids wear kimono or suits on such special days and they visit shrine pray for their health and growth.
In Japanese 7 is shichi,5 is go, and 3 is San. So,now you know why the custom is called shichigosan.
According to Japanese website turugamine, it states that this custom has started around heian era,where popular Hikaru genji story was born. Around that era, many kids did not grow to adult age and death rate was high. Therefore, people goes to shrine to pray for their health and growth. At this time,kids did not go at certain age. The custom for kids to visit shrine on certain age has started around Edo era,when shogun Tokugawa's name was popular.
Since the old era, odd number was good luck numbers,except 9. In Japanese,9 is ku and it means suffering and people does not like number 9. Among even numbers, 8 is good for merchants because the number supposedly good number for it brings prosperity. Number 4 is people do not like most because 4 in Japanese is shi and it means death. Many countries have good,bad numbers and depending on where you are from,the number people like would be different.
Anyway, around Heian era, 3 years old is when kids started growing hair. At 5 years old,boys start wearing hakama,which is like long skirt but it is like a pants. You can see picture here ( It is from Japanese website,the letters on the website may comes up funky on your computer). At 7 years old,girls start wearing kimono that has Obi (kind of like belt in your sense. It goes around your waist and made from kimono material). You can see Kimono Obi here. Upper right picture has Obi;thing you see around waist line.That is Obi.
This custom was first spread only around Shogun/Samurai families,but as days pass by,it started spreading more to average families. Then,we started calling the custom "shichigosan" much later around Meiji era.
If your kids at age 3,5,7 visit shrine in kimono or hakama on 15th of November,they would come home with chitose ame. What is chitose ame?
Chitose ame is red and white stripe candy sticks. Chitose means "one thousand year", and Ame means "candy". Kids get the candy from superstition belief of longevity. Here is a picture of Chitose ame from chitose ame candy factory website. Again,this website is in Japanese.
Do you have any unique custom to your countries?
Posted by yassy at 8/17/2009 8:00 AM 
Categories: Japan
Tags: november custom chitose ame japan shichigosan
Categories: Japan
Tags: november custom chitose ame japan shichigosan
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