◎ About the Shichi-Go-San celebration

This is a celebration for children who are three, five, and seven years old according to the traditional Japanese age counting system.
For both boys and girls, the three-year-old ceremony is called "kamioki," marking the beginning of growing their hair. For five-year-old boys, it is called "hakamagi," marking the first time they wear hakama (traditional Japanese trousers). For seven-year-old girls, it is called "obitoki," marking the untying of the child's sash and the wearing of an adult's obi (sash). These are life rituals that have been performed to socially acknowledge the growth of children.
Visiting shrines has been practiced since the Edo period, but it became even more popular during the Meiji era. It is also said that "children are children of the gods until the age of seven," and it is believed that when a child visits their local shrine to celebrate their seventh birthday, they officially become part of the community of parishioners. From this point on, they are recognized as full-fledged individuals by both the gods and the local community.
While November 15th is generally considered the date for the Shichi-Go-San celebration throughout Japan, in Hokkaido, due to the climate, it is celebrated on October 15th, and this custom has spread throughout the prefecture.