Thank you very much for coming to Tsubaki America Shrine.

Today, Congratulation for your son's ( or daughter's) (seventh , fifth and third) years old.

I would like to explain this ceremony. In Shinto, there are life-passage ceremonies. This Hichi-go-san is one. This ceremony is conducted at many shrines in Japan on November 15. This is very beautiful ceremony.

At this time, parents with children 7, 5, and 3 years old come a shrine to express their gratitude to Kami (deity) because the children have reached those critical ages. They also come to invoke future blessings.

These ages are 6, 4, and 2 if you counted old style.

In former days (not so much today) the occasion was marked by ceremonies of putting up the hair of a 3-year-old girl (we call Kami-oki), of placing a hakama (pleated skirt) on a 5-year-old boy, and of giving a 7-year-old girl an obi (silk girdle), to be worn for the first time.

Some of the talismans previously mentioned as being giving to children by shrine authorities at the time of the Hichi-go-san ceremony are shown in accompanying illustrations.

They are printed in striking colors on the front and back of the long, narrow paper bags of sweetmeats presented to the children at the shrine. There are many meanings on these illustrations.

The second picture is "longevity."

Two crossed Noshi -- one of which always accompanies a gift.

In the picture under it are the sun and its rays, symbol of Japan, the crane, said to live for 1,000 years, both signify long life.

The pine and the bamboo, both ever-green, also signify long life and youthfulness.

The plum is shown because it is the first blossom that appears in spring, often when snow lies on its branches.

It signifies vigor.

The old man with the rake is Jo, who with his wife, Uba, typify the sprits of the evergreen pine tree of Takasago beach.

Takasago is one of the "Noh" plays.

Symbolizing long life and happiness the old couple are generally a feature of the decorations at times of congratulation.

The ideographs between them give the name of the contents of the bag: Chitose("1000 years") Ame, a confection.

1997