JAPN Shichi-Go-San Festival: Celebrating Children at Three, Five and Seven
Shichi-Go-San Festival: Celebrating Children at Three, Five and Seven
The Celebration
Shichi-Go-San (Seven-Five-Three) celebrates children at ages three (both genders), five (boys), and seven (girls) with visits to Shinto shrines on or around November 15. Children dress in formal kimono or hakama, and families visit their local shrine for blessings of health and growth. The tradition dates to the Heian period when child mortality was high and reaching these milestone ages warranted celebration and prayers for continued health. Three-year-olds celebrate kamioki (letting hair grow), five-year-old boys wear hakama trousers for the first time, and seven-year-old girls tie an adult-style obi for the first time.
Chitose-ame (thousand-year candy), long thin candy sticks in red and white packaging decorated with cranes and turtles symbolizing longevity, are given to children during the celebration. The candy’s elongated shape represents the wish for a long life. Professional photography studios do brisk business in the weeks surrounding November 15, with children posed in kimono before painted backdrops. Meiji Shrine, Itsukushima Shrine, and local neighborhood shrines throughout Japan fill with kimono-clad families from late October through late November.
Seeing Shichi-Go-San
Foreign visitors to shrines from late October through November will encounter Shichi-Go-San families, particularly on weekends closest to November 15. The children in colorful kimono, parents in formal dress, and the shrine setting create charming scenes. Photography from a respectful distance of the general atmosphere is appropriate, though photographing specific children requires parental permission.
Shichi-Go-San (Seven-Five-Three) on November 15 celebrates children reaching ages seven, five, and three with shrine visits, prayers for healthy growth, and family photographs. Girls celebrate at ages three and seven, boys at ages five (and sometimes three). Children dress in formal kimono or hakama, often rented from photography studios that provide dressing, hair styling, and professional photo sessions as a package at 20,000 to 50,000 yen. The shrine visit involves offering prayers at the haiden worship hall, where the priest blesses the children with a purification wand (haraigushi) and provides protective amulets. Chitose-ame (thousand-year candy), long red-and-white candy sticks in decorated bags featuring crane and turtle symbols of longevity, are the festival’s signature gift. The sight of tiny children in elaborate traditional dress walking (or being carried) through shrine grounds with proud families creates one of autumn’s most charming scenes. Major shrines including Meiji Shrine in Tokyo and Sumiyoshi Taisha in Osaka hold large-scale celebrations with multiple priests conducting group blessings.
What Happens on the Day
Families visit their local shrine (or a major shrine for those who prefer a grander setting) for a brief ceremony where a priest offers a prayer (norito) for the child’s health and growth, purifies them with a ritual wand (haraigushi), and bestows amulets or sacred items. The visit itself takes 15 to 30 minutes, with photography before and after occupying considerably more time. Many families hire professional photographers or book studio sessions at photo studios (shashin-kan) like Studio Alice, which provide costume changes and elaborate backdrops at 20,000 to 50,000 yen per session.
The children receive chitose-ame (thousand-year candy), elongated red-and-white sugar sticks symbolizing longevity and growth, packaged in bags decorated with cranes and turtles (both symbols of long life in Japanese culture). Three-year-old girls wear their first full kimono, though often a simplified version with an easy-tie obi. Five-year-old boys wear hakama (formal pleated trousers) over a kimono, and seven-year-old girls wear a proper adult-style obi for the first time, marking the transition from childhood ties. The most popular shrine destinations include Meiji Jingu in Tokyo, Atsuta Jingu in Nagoya, and Sumiyoshi Taisha in Osaka, where dozens of dressed-up families converge on the nearest weekend to November 15.
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This content is for informational purposes only and reflects independent research. Details may change — verify current information before making travel plans.