七五三 - Shichi-Go-San
Shichi-Go-San, literally meaning “7-5-3,” is one of Japan’s two major coming of age holidays. Although it is officially celebrated on November 15th, the celebrations usually come the weekend after.
The holiday is a day of prayer and celebration for girls age 3 and 7, and boys age 3 and 5, because odd numbers are traditionally seen as lucky. Although the holiday began in the Heian Period (平安時代), it wasn’t until samurai culture became widespread that Shichi-Go-San gained most of its modern traditions.
A type of candy known as “Chitose-ame” or “candy of a thousand years” (千歳飴) is given to children on this holiday. The packaging has a picture of a crane and a turtle on it, which are both animals that are symbols of longevity and health.
The age 3 is chosen because traditionally, this is the age that parents begin to let their children grow their hair longer. While this practice is no longer as widespread as it once was, the age of 3 still remains an important milestone.
Boys at the age of 5 wear what is called a hakama (袴) for the first time during Shichi-Go-San in a celebration called hakamagi (袴着). Similarly, at the age of 7, girls transition from wearing thin strands on their kimono to the thick, decorated band known as an obi (帯) during a celebration called obitoki (帯解き).
