Shichi-Go-San Matsuri 七五三祭り (“Seven-Five-Three Festival”)
Experience Japanese culture with my host family
This photo is taken by my otoosan, Kawamukai Akira
The Shichi-Go-San Festival is on November 15th, but nowadays some people are celebrating it around November 15, since the Shinto shrine is getting too crowded on that day. It is a unique Japanese festival for boys who have just turned three and five years old, as well as girls turning three and seven years old. The families take their children to a Shinto shrine, the children wear the kimono and carry a long bag of candy called Chitose-ame,（千歳あめ）meaning long life candy. The candy is both red and white, which represents good fortune. They have to enter the gate (tori), symbolizing the way to the god’s house. While they enter the shrine, the monk spreads some water on children’s heads and a Buddhist symbol stamp on top of each. They are quietly sit in front of the Buddha until the ceremony ends. The children often receive gifts from their relatives; most often the grandparents put money in a envelop as a gift. They take lots pictures in the shrine to preserve the memory.
For more information about Shichi-Go-San Matsuri, please check:
My Otoosan Granddaughter, Rua（る亜）
Omiya-Mairi(宮参り)
A young mami bring her baby to the shrine
Another unique festival in Japan is omiya-mairi(宮参り) , a festival for a baby thirty days after birth. The purpose of this festival is the same as Shichi-Go-San Matsuri, to give thanks go God(s) and to pray for children to continue to have good health and prosperity. Most likely the parents take their children to the shrine, but traditionally some people believe that when a woman period come, they are dirty and not allow to enter the tori. Therefore, the grandparents take the baby to the shrine.
During the ceremony
Great topic for your free choice post. You have some very nice pictures and cute subjects.
ReplyDeleteBuddhas and bodhisattvas are found in temples, kami are found in Shinto shrines. Check out Ian Reader's "Religion in Contemporary Japan" (univ. of Hawaii Press, 1991) for more on this subject and Japanese religion in general.