七五三 Shichi-Go-San Celebration Planning

七五三 (Shichi-Go-San, "Seven-Five-Three") is one of Japan's most beloved childhood milestones — a Shinto celebration of children at ages 3, 5, and 7 that takes place on or around November 15 each year. Families dress children in kimono or hakama and visit a Shinto shrine for a shichi-go-san blessing (gobyōdai, 御祈祷). Planning requires knowing the child's age in both Western and traditional counting, scheduling the shrine visit in wareki, and — for cautious parents — checking whether either parent is in a yakudoshi year.

Step 1 — Confirm the Child's Age

Age

Shichi-Go-San is celebrated at specific ages: girls at 3 and 7, boys at 5, and in some regions boys also at 3. The question of which age system applies divides families. Traditionally, kazoedoshi (数え年) was used, meaning a child born in the previous year is counted as 2 in January, reaching 3 in the spring even if their Western birthday hasn't passed yet. Modern practice increasingly uses man-nai (満年齢, Western age), so a 3-year-old by Western counting celebrates the Shichi-Go-San for threes.

Check both counting systems in the age calculator. If your child is 2 by Western age but 3 by kazoedoshi, you have the option to celebrate either this November or next — a flexibility many families appreciate when a sibling's milestone overlaps.

Step 2 — Record the Shrine Visit Date in Wareki

Wareki

Shrine reservations for Shichi-Go-San blessings are made in wareki on the official forms (mōshikomi yōshi, 申込用紙). November 15 in the current year written as a wareki date is what you will fill in. The converter also helps when booking a photography studio for the commemorative portrait, as some traditional studios log appointment dates in wareki.

Beyond November 15, shrines accept Shichi-Go-San visits throughout October and November. If November 15 falls on a weekday, most families visit the nearest weekend. Convert your preferred weekend dates to wareki for the booking form.

Step 3 — Check Parents' Yakudoshi Status

Yakudoshi

Some families, particularly those who observe traditions closely, are concerned if a parent is in their hon-yaku (本厄) main unlucky year during the Shichi-Go-San. While this is not a strict prohibition, it may influence the family's decision to: - Consult the shrine priest about participating in the ritual during hon-yaku - Have the yakudoshi parent undergo their own yakubarai purification at the same shrine visit - Schedule Shichi-Go-San slightly earlier or later in the season to avoid the yakudoshi parent's most sensitive period

Check each parent's yakudoshi status with the calculator. If a parent is in mae-yaku or ato-yaku (the flanking years), most families proceed without concern. Hon-yaku is where families sometimes pause to reflect.

What to Prepare

Timeline

• August–September: Book photography studio and kimono rental
• October: Confirm shrine reservation, prepare offering envelope
• Early November: Hair and makeup trial (optional, for girls)
• November 15 (or nearby weekend): Shrine visit and photography
• After: Send kibun thank-you cards to grandparents