Free Download Shichi
Josephine Heathershaw
November 15th is the Shichi-Go-San ("7-5-3") Festival in Japan, celebrated as a gala day for three and five-year-old boys (or, in many areas, for five-year-old boys only) and three and seven-year-old girls. On this day, prayers are offered for the healthy and happy futures of the children.
Late last year, my friend in Kagoshima sent me some pictures of her niece on Shichi-Go-San. There were several professional photographs of her in different poses and modeling different outfits. Although only two years old (not even three!), she was dressed well beyond her years, in elegant kimonos, with her hair meticulously and opulently styled, posing with a parasol in one picture, and was even wearing make-up!
There's a reason why shichi-go-san is celebrated on November 15th. Fifteen is the sum of three, five and seven, and is therefore also considered an especially auspicious number. However, speaking of numbers, my friend's niece was only two years old, so it can be surmised that, while the particular ages of three, five and seven are the typically traditional ones, the practices and traditions have evolved over the years and allow for much flexibility.
Generally, in modern day celebrations of shichi-go-san, the children are dressed in their finest clothes, with girls often appearing in kimono and boys in hakama, going to their local Shinto shrine with their parents to pay homage to the tutelary deity of the neighborhood. There the parents give thanks for the health of the child and pray for continued happy and healthy futures.
The child is given a candy called chitose-ame ("thousand year candy"), which is supposed to ensure the child's longevity and health. Chitose-ame is a long, thin red-and-white candy and comes in bag decorated with crane and turtle illustrations, the crane and turtle both being symbols of long life in Japan. Red and white is also an auspicious color combination.
However, it is also suggested that the idea originated in the Muromachi era when, due to the high infant mortality rate at that time, children were only recognized in their family register after the age of three. From there on in, traditional coming-of-age ceremonies developed for the next two "lucky" numbers: five and seven, and became customary among samurai society in the Edo era and quickly gained popularity, spreading throughout Japan from their birthplace in the Kanto region.
It has also been suggested that because at the time of the origin of the festival bacterial pathology was unknown to the rulers, infant deaths were often blamed on evil spirits, so when the children reached the ages of 3, 5, and 7 the gods were thanked for bringing the children good health.
The first of these ceremonies, for three year olds, was kamioki. kamioki literally means "hair leaving" and had its roots in the established practice of shaving the head of a baby, whether boy or girl, seven days after its birth, and keeping the head shaved until the age of three. It was believed that constantly cutting the hair this way would encourage even more luxuriant growth. In the spring following the third birthday, the kamioki ceremony was held, and thereafter the "hair leaving" took place, i.e., the hair was left to luxuriantly grow.
The second ceremony, for five year old boys, is hakamagi-no-gi, and is all about putting on a hakama (loose pleated trousers used for formal wear) and haori formal coat. This ceremony is held for five-year-old boys and marks the first time for them to wear this formal attire, associated with roles and responsibilities.
The third ceremony, obitoki-no-gi, is held for seven-year-old girls, and is the first time the girls wear "obi" (a broad sash for the kimono) instead of a a kimono tied with attached strings. The obi sash is more difficult to tie and more ornamental, so symbolizes the transition to womanhood. When the obitoki-no-gi first began, way back in the Kamakura era, it was for 9 year olds, and for boys too, but in the Edo era the hakama-no-gi became the norm for boys at age five, and the age at which the obitoki-no-gi was performed for for girls came down to 7.
The three shichi-go-san ceremonies held to celebrate the child's growth are not always carried out anymore. Nowadays they are often replaced by just a visit to the shrine to express gratitude and pray for the child's future.
Finally, the flexible choice of date for the shichi-go-san shrine visit may also be a sign of the times. Visit a Japanese shrine even a couple of weeks before or after the official day of November 15, and you will be sure to witness a happy shichi-go-san family group. Japanese today are choosing to keep the warm sense of togetherness and childlike fun of this family-focused heritage without necessarily subscribing to strict observance.
Photo studios throughout Japan offer cheaper packages in the summer that allow you to book kimono and hakama at a discounted rate for the fall. One studio also offered birthday photos with the Shichi-go-san photos for children born in July, but we were too late to snag that bonus, unfortunately.
The photo shoot started with the dress first. My daughter got her hair and makeup done before putting on her dress, which she had no problem with (perhaps because she got to watch Moana). When the staff put a tiara on her head for the finishing touch, I almost cried. She had transformed into a little princess! And oh how adorable and beautiful and perfect she looked!
I should mention that Studio Caratt, or at least the branch we went to, does not allow parents to take a photo or video of the child getting ready. However, taking pictures and videos of the shoot itself is completely fine.
Some of the poses in this shoot included lying down with the bottom of the dress underneath, sitting with 753 blocks on the dress, pointing at things, holding a bouquet of flowers, and doing cute poses in various spots.
When it was time for the kimono photo shoot in another part of the studio, I got changed as well. My kimono and hair took quite a bit of time so in the changing room, I could hear my daughter crying for me at the start of her kimono photos.
She was all smiles when I came out though. Another staff member brought out an Anpanman toy and pressed buttons on it while running away and making funny noises, which successfully brought out natural smiles and laughter in my daughter. (The photos of this session definitely show it!)
When it comes to the shrine for having the Shichi-go-san prayer (七五三の祈祷shichi-go-san no kitou) , make sure you check in advance about their system as each shrine is different. Some require you to reserve in advance, some have specific times that they do the prayer, and for others, you can show up whenever!
The shrine was small with seats for only eight people, which was perfect for the five of us. My husband and I sat in the front with our daughter in the middle. She was very calm and quiet, a stark contrast to when she had her Omiyamairi when she was three months old.
Afterward, we took photos at a nearby location with a freelance photographer that we booked prior on fotowa. My daughter did not want to wear the zori at this point and just kicked them off, so she ended up just wearing her Paw Patrol shoes. (For those of you who have yet to do Shichi-go-san with your child, I would recommend bringing a nice pair of shoes for them just in case they do the same!)
Tiny Tot In Tokyo provides information and resources about life and travel in Japan with kids, from a Japan-based parent to those around the world.
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In everyday life, we meet countless people, most of whom are only noticed briefly or not at all. The larger the city you are in, the more this effect comes into play. In rural areas, you may immediately attract attention as a stranger, while in big cities you can move around unmolested.
Our consciousness filters out everything that is not necessary for our survival. This means that only people we know, people with an unusual stature, special appearance, or physical characteristics penetrate our consciousness. The other people are mostly noticed, maybe you even make eye contact in passing, but after a few moments, most of them have disappeared from our consciousness.
The medieval system of shichi hō de consisted of seven different disguises and professions commonly encountered at the time. However, it is only a conceptual model, a Ninja was by no means limited to these seven disguises, he always adapted the disguise to the environment and the benefit. He could also act as a doctor, a traveler, a farmer, a soldier, a fisherman, or in some other role.
The shichi hō de consists of two important components. On the one hand from the hensō jutsu (the art of disguise), and on the other hand from the gisō jutsu (the art of thinking oneself into others).
In hensō jutsu the Ninja learned how to put on the disguise and adapt it to his own body. In gisō jutsu one learned how to imitate a person, what characteristics and qualities one had to internalize.
This category includes students, teachers, scientists, technical specialists, artists, and idealists. You have to familiarize yourself with the relevant university, school, or institution. Usually, you also have to have a specialist area that you should master. As an artist, you also have to have works or work to show for yourself and be able to show off your talent. As an idealist, you also have to identify with the idea you represent.
This category includes salespeople, traders, clerks, secretaries, accountants, and business owners. You should be able to demonstrate basic knowledge of your field. Appearance should be similar to that of a business person, experience and knowledge of the industry should be noted. Necessary business papers such as business cards, annual reports, etc. should be forged.
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