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Shichi-Go-San is a traditional Japanese festival celebrating children's healthy growth, usually held on or around November 15 each year. The name means "seven, five, three", the three important milestone ages it celebrates.
Meaning of the festival
Shichi-Go-San dates back to the Heian period, when it began as a ceremony held by aristocratic and samurai families to pray for their children's safe and healthy growth. Over time it became an important tradition for ordinary families as well. On the day of Shichi-Go-San, parents take their children to a shrine to give thanks to the gods and pray for their future happiness and well-being.
Who is celebrated
• Age three: for both boys and girls, celebrating the child starting to grow their hair long, a symbol of growth.
• Age five: for boys, marking the age when they first wear hakama (kimono trousers), the transition from little child to young boy.
• Age seven: for girls, celebrating their first formal furisode with a wide obi, a sign of growing into a graceful young girl.
How it is celebrated
1. Shrine visit: families take their children, dressed in kimono, to a shrine to pray for health and safety.
2. Traditional dress: girls usually wear a gorgeous furisode, while boys wear hakama or a simpler kimono, adding to the sense of occasion.
3. Chitose-ame candy: after the shrine visit, children receive chitose-ame ("thousand-year candy") in a colorfully decorated bag.