Authentic Ceremonies for Children in Japan
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Hina-Matsuri is held on March 3rd. The parents celebrate their daughters' growth and good health on this day. They not only celebrate, but also decorate the Hina-dolls on seven tiers of shelves which represent dolls of prince and princes, their 3 female servants, 5 music players, 2 ministers and 3 guards working in the palace. They have a good time drinking white rice wine, sugar rice crackers, Gomoku-sushi (mixed sushi rice), and clear clam soup.
Tango-no-Sekku
(Children's Day) is on May 5th. It is a national holiday. It
used to be a boy's day originally, thus the family who has
boys decorate the warrior doll, helmet, sword, and bows with
arrows. These are showing parents' expectation for their
sons to become brave and have good
luck.
in
the future. They also put carp-shaped flags on the high
pole. Family celebrate with rice cakes with red bean sweets
inside and wrapped by Kashiwa leaves, and steamed
sticky rice wrapped in bamboo leaves.
Shichi-go-san festival is held on November 15th. Girls at 7 years, boys at 5 years and girls at 3 years are blessed at the shrine. On this day, children put on their formal wear, like traditional kimono. They show appreciation for good growth and wishes for better growth for future. The children have a candy bag which contains 3 long stick candies called Chitose-ame in their hand, and to have a good memory of their record of growth pictures are taken and put in a photo album.
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