Isshomochi celebration

The Isshomochi celebration is a traditional event held together with the celebration of a child's first birthday to pray for their healthy growth in the future.

One sho of glutinous rice (approximately 1.8 kg) is made into a mochi, which weighs approximately 2 kg. You put the rice cake on your baby's back, but sometimes it's so heavy that the baby cries or is unable to carry it. Children around the age of 1 vary in their growth, so they may not be able to carry the bag on their back or stand up. Including these things, holding the Isshomochi event itself is a joyous celebration.

The Isshomochi celebration is a traditional event that has been passed down since ancient times, but there is no record of when it began. However, the custom of Isshomochi has been handed down in various parts of Japan, and it is considered a rite of passage used to celebrate a child's first birthday.

Mochi has long been an important food for celebrating special occasions such as childbirth, birthdays, festivals, and festivals. Among these, it is said that the sun god Amaterasu Omikami lives in Isshomochi (Kagami-mochi), and the mochi itself is made to look like the heavenly rock door where Amaterasu hid herself, so it is used in celebrations. It is said that Kagami-biraki (a ceremony called Kagami-biraki) is held to look like the opening of the heavenly rock door, and the rice cake is cut and eaten to wish for a good harvest and future prosperity. The fact that kagami-mochi naturally cracks due to drying is also called ``open'', and is believed to have the blessings of Amaterasu Omikami, and is considered auspicious.

In addition, ichisho has the meaning of ``a lifetime'', and when combined with a congratulatory rice cake, it can be used to express wishes such as ``to never have to worry about food for the rest of your life'' or ``to be healthy for the rest of your life.'' It also has the meaning of ``May you live a happy life.''

The Issho Mochi event varies slightly depending on the region and each family, and as it is passed down from parent to child, it is a celebration that reflects the characteristics of each family. Although it has become commonplace today, in some regions, it is used along with Isshomochi.
It has different names depending on the region, and is also called ``Issei Mochi'', ``Birthday Mochi'', ``Ichisai Mochi'', and ``Chikara Mochi''.

Even within the same age group, there are individual differences between children. Some children can't stand, some can stand on their backs, and some can start walking quickly. Whether you can stand up or walk around Isshomochi, it is considered auspicious.
Based on what happened at that time, it is said that if a child stands up, ``he will be able to stand up for himself,'' if he sits down, ``he will inherit the family,'' and if he falls, ``he will be able to ward off evil spirits.''
Holding the Isshomochi event itself is a good omen, so please keep a close eye on your children.

On the 1st birthday, the ``first birth'', many families have a ``chosen'' event along with ichisho mochi. In some regions, it is also called ``future selection,'' and people carry Issho mochi on their backs.

``Selectori'' is a custom of placing ``objects'' in front of children and predicting their future based on the first ``object'' they pick up. The items prepared vary depending on the household, but the items that have been selected since ancient times are as follows.

Recently, new types of jobs and industries are being actively used, so it is common to use cards as a substitute.

In the past, it was standard to use large rice cakes, but in recent years, smaller individually wrapped rice cakes have become popular. In addition, there are more options such as ``Issho rice'' and ``Issho bread,'' making it easier to celebrate.
In addition, furoshiki, which were used to wrap rice cakes and tie them to the body, have become standard as ichisho mochi backpacks that can be used even when children grow up.

A child's first birthday is a day to sincerely express the joy of ``Thank you for being born.'' It is also a day of new beginnings. Let's pray for continued healthy growth and have a wonderful celebration.