What happens in the Shichi-Go-San festival?

A Special Shrine Visit Each autumn, families with young children celebrate a tradition known as Shichi-Go-San. In the custom, which literally means “seven-five-three,” families with three- or seven-year-old girls or five-year-old boys visit a shrine or temple to pray for the health of their offspring as they grow.

Where is Shichi-Go-San celebrated?

Japan
Shichi-Go-San (七五三, lit. “Seven-Five-Three”) is a traditional rite of passage and festival day in Japan for three- and seven-year-old girls, five-year-old and sometimes three-year-old boys, held annually on November 15 to celebrate the growth and well-being of young children.

What do they eat at Shichi-Go-San?

The long sticks of stretched sweet candy called chitose ame (千歳飴) represented a wish for long life. The sweets come in red and white, notoriously auspicious colors used for celebrations. The children will be given the number of sweets to match their age — three sticks of candy for a three-year-old, and so on.

What is Shichi Go San in Japan?

Shichi-Go-San: A Japanese Birthday Celebration. Shichi-Go-San literally means seven-five-three in Japanese. The celebration, held every November 15, is a traditional rite of passage for Japanese boys turning 3 and 5 and girls turning 3 and 7 years old.

What is Shichi-Go-San?

Shichi-Go-San is the name of the Japanese custom of celebrating the healthy growth of children of 7, 5 and 3 years old. The children, girls and boys alike, and their family visit together a Shinto shrine to thank the gods and pray to benefit from their continuing protection in the future.

Why do we celebrate Shichi-Go-San?

Today, Shichi-Go-San is mostly observed as a way to give thanks for the health and happiness of a child. The celebration traditionally takes place on November 15, but more recently families are moving it to the nearest weekend.

What is the Japanese three-day festival?

The celebration, held every November 15, is a traditional rite of passage for Japanese boys turning 3 and 5 and girls turning 3 and 7 years old.