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View Full Version : 7-5-3, shichi-go-san.... why?



Tripitaka of AA
21st April 2004, 14:52
Children are dressed up in traditional gear, dragged to the nearest temple to have photos taken and generally made a fuss of, on their 3rd, 5th and 7th birthdays. Why?

Most poorer families only bother with 7th, but the rich ones do all three (buying a Kimono for a 3 Year Old is about as big a useless extravagance as you can get, in my book).

Why those ages? Why not 4, or 8? Why not 10?

Blackwood
21st April 2004, 15:02
I don't know! I also know that on Okinawa, 73 is a big deal. I would also like to know why.

There must be some religious or historical significance. But I have asked about 73 before and not gotten any answers.

Adam Young
22nd April 2004, 02:44
Girls get fussed over on their 3rd and 7th birthdays, and boys get it on the 5th.

As far as the reasons go, you might try this link (http://www.ginkoya.com/pages/shigosan.html). I imagine that now it is simply "tradition" - "your parents did it, their parents did, their parents did it and, dadgummit, so will you".

Buying a kimono for a three year old is only a useless extravagance if you actually buy it new. We bought one used (which means some other kid wore it once) for very cheap. As photos often go along with it, most photographers will keep a stock of kimonos and hakama, etc. just for the purpose of shichi-go-san.

L-Fitzgerald
22nd April 2004, 13:21
ancient traditions when male members of a Samurai family were considered as an adult upon reaching the age of fifteen. However, in contrast male members of a Noble family were considered an adult at age thirteen, although I've found other reference works that identify the ages of reaching adulthood within each group being opposite. However, regardless of which view is accepted at birth a child was first given a “milk” name that they retained until the age of three, unlike Western beliefs a Japanese child was considered as being two years old after having survived their first year of life. When a child reach the age of three [according to Japanese calculations] a second name was given and used until age seven when a final childhood name was bestowed until their later passage into adulthood. Upon reaching adulthood the last childhood name was discarded and a name made up of two characters was bestowed upon the male child. The first character of the individual’s adult name was always a hereditary one, and the second character was personally selected by the individual.” Once again it was found that some sources state the individual’s father selected the new name. Yet, regardless of which historical source is cited this new name was bestowed upon the person during a special ceremony by the father, or godfather. Part of the ceremony included presentation of a Kao’, a special seal that was then used by the new Samurai for signing his new name. This right of passage also permitted the individual the privilege of selecting a different surname, if so desired, but the Uji [Clan] name was never changed.

Whenever, a Samurai or Noble family found itself without a male heir a blood relation such as a nephew or cousin or another male from an affiliated or allied clan, regardless of their age would be adopted. However, the family that this individual came from had to be one of equal stature to the family making the adoption. Upon assuming the surname of his new family the individual would often select a new name once again! The ability of a Samurai or Nobleman to select and use different names came from the exclusive birth right privileges of those belonging to either of these two classes. Until the Edo Period began this privilege was never available to anyone born into another social class. As a result many of today’s Japanese families only trace their roots back to the Edo period, the beginning of the 17th century when the cultural makeup became rigidly stratified into four major groups; the Nobility, the Samurai [Warrior], farmers and merchants, respectively.

Mekugi
22nd April 2004, 13:59
Shichi-go-san
"Seven-five-three" festival, held on November 15. A rite of passage in which five-year-old boys and three- and seven-year-old girls visit the shrine of their ujigami or tutelary deity to pray for special protection. This custom is practiced widely in the Kanto area; the date coincides with a traditional date for ujigami festivals.

http://www2.kokugakuin.ac.jp/ijcc/wp/bts/bts_s.html#shichi-go-san

This originates in shinto practice and the common people. These ceremonies are designed to drive out evil spirits on these years, which are considered the best or "luckiest" times in which to receive a blessing.

Adults have good and bad years too and duly receive blessings to help them during unlucky years. With children, as I understand, the ceremony harkens back to times when child fatality/mortality was high and the significance of the children reaching these ages celebrated landmarks in their survival as well.

-R

Tripitaka of AA
29th April 2004, 14:12
Thanks for those responses. My apologies for not replying sooner.