What is "Oshichi-ya"?

The first event after a baby's birth, "Oshichi-ya," is a naming ceremony held on the seventh day after birth.
The naming book is displayed on the family altar, tokonoma alcove, or in the living room, and the baby's name is revealed to family and relatives, announcing that the baby has become a member of society. After that, everyone eats a celebratory meal together and prays for the baby's safe and healthy growth on this special day.

Oshichi-ya is a celebration that begins on the seventh night, counting the day the baby was born as the first day. It is pronounced "oshichi-ya."

It is also called the "Naming Ceremony" or "Celebration of Naming." It is also called the "Makurahiki," "Makurasage," or "Hito Ubuya" because it is the time when the mother's body recovers after giving birth and she clears her bed, and it celebrates the end of the mourning period for the mother.

1. Origin and history

2. The Shichi-ya Festival

3. Who should I invite to the Shichi-ya?

4. What do you do on Oshichi-ya?
1. Revealing your name

②Celebratory meal

3) Take commemorative photos and hand and footprints to leave a memento

5. Festive attire

1. The origin and history of Oshichi-ya

The history of celebrating Oshichi-ya is very old and is said to date back to the Heian period.
It is said to be a remnant of the "birth celebration" that took place in aristocrats' homes, where relatives would give gifts of baby clothes, food, drink, etc. and hold celebrations on the nights of the 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th days after birth. It is.
The first day after the baby is born is called "Hatsuya", the third day is called "San'ya", the fifth day is called "Go'ya", the seventh day is called "Nana'ya", and the ninth day is called "Nana'ya". It was called "Nine Nights" and was celebrated when babies were born on odd-numbered days.
As times changed, the customs changed little by little, and by the Edo period, only Oshichi-ya remained, and it had become a tradition celebrated by ordinary people as well.

In the past, medical care was not as advanced as it is today, so it was very difficult for a baby to grow up safely.
Therefore, this celebration, in which people rejoice that the baby has managed to get through the seven days safely after birth, announce the baby's name, and pray for the baby's growth and good health, is said to be the origin of the Shichi-ya festival.

2. The Shichi-ya Festival

　

　
The official Shichi-ya ceremony is held on the evening of the seventh day after the baby's birth, counting from the day the baby was born.
Normally, a baby's birthday is counted as 0 days after birth, but Oshichi-ya is counted differently.
For example, if your birthday is November 18th, then the Shichi-ya would be November 24th, with the 18th counting as the first day.

For many mothers, this is the date shortly after they are discharged from the hospital and are able to spend time at home.

[If celebrating on the night of the seventh day]
It is traditional to celebrate on the seventh day, but this often falls on a weekday, so family plans and schedules need to be coordinated.
In many cases, the husband is visiting his hometown, so many people choose to celebrate with the wife's parents rather than the husband.

[Celebrate on a holiday close to the seventh day]
Many families schedule their holidays accordingly, as it is easier to coordinate family schedules.

[ Celebrate at least 10 days after the birth]
The basic rule for celebrating is to first consider the health of the baby and mother, so many families wait until things have calmed down a bit before celebrating.
Also, if your parents and other relatives live far away, you can also hold the ceremony in conjunction with the Shichi-ya ceremony and the shrine visit.

Don't get too hung up on the formalities, but put the baby and mother's situation first and celebrate on a date that suits you.
In some cases, people choose to avoid the day of Butsumetsu or choose a day of Taian. Many families choose to have the day during the day, not at night.

Also, if more than two weeks have passed since the birth, you will need to submit the birth notification form first.

3. Who should I invite to the Shichi-ya?

The traditional Shichi-ya celebration is centered around the paternal grandfather (Dad's father) (as in the past, his role was to write the baby's name on the naming book), and many relatives and others are invited to the celebration.

In recent years, with the trend towards nuclear families, it has become common for celebrations to be held only with family members, such as just mom and dad. As a result, it is not necessary to follow traditions, and the basic rule is to celebrate in a style that suits each family, such as only being able to attend either the paternal or maternal parents who live nearby.

Either way, the celebration will be held soon after the birth. The first priority should be to make sure that the mother and baby are comfortable. Recently, it seems that some families do not hold a Shichi-ya celebration.

Also, because of these circumstances, traditional celebrations are held at the paternal family home, but if the mother is visiting her parents' home, it may be held at the maternal family home.
In recent years, childbirth is often carried out safely, and many mothers do not return to their parents' home when giving birth to their second child, so the birth may also take place at the parents' home.

4. What do you do on Oshichi-ya?

　　　

This is the baby's first event and an important, once in a lifetime celebration.

Since the Shichi-ya is the first celebration, it is common for families from both sides to gather together for a somewhat lavish dinner party.
A delicious meal is prepared to show gratitude to the mother for safely giving birth to a baby after a long pregnancy. The celebration centers around a meal, with prayers for the baby's health and growth.

<Basic celebration of Oshichi-ya>

1. Revealing your name
(We explain the origin of the name and our thoughts on the naming, and display the naming book.)

②Celebratory meal

3) Take commemorative photos and hand and footprints

The traditional way to display the naming book is to dedicate it to a Shinto altar if you have one. If you don't have a Shinto altar, display it in a place where the family can see it, such as the living room. There may be customs that differ depending on the region you live in or the family, so celebrate according to the way each family does it.

Now, let us introduce you to the basic celebration of Shichi-ya .

1. Revealing your name

To celebrate, a "naming certificate" will be prepared.

Recently, there are many designs available for sale, including ones that can be used as interior decorations, but in the past, it was customary for the grandfather (paternal grandfather) to name the baby and write the naming book. Nowadays, parents often prepare the naming book themselves.
Some temples and shrines apparently offer the service of issuing naming certificates.

If you write it yourself or fill it out, it will be informal, but it will be a template that is commonly used today.

<For the four sides of a rectangle,>
[Top right] Write your date of birth in small letters. [Middle] "Named XX" with your name in XX. [Bottom left] Write your parents' (mom and dad) full names.

②Celebratory meal

It is recommended that you have food delivered or catered for the dinner party.

Both mother and child have just been discharged from the hospital, and the mother is in an unstable physical condition after giving birth, and has begun caring for the newborn, so both mother and father are often busy. One option is to go out to eat, but many people feel reluctant to take a newborn baby out, and considering the ease of caring for the baby, it is often the case that the celebration is held at home.

If you want to enjoy a celebration properly, a celebratory meal is the basis.
In addition to a meal consisting of one soup and three side dishes, popular dishes include grilled salted sea bream, shrimp dishes, tempura, and red rice.
It's also a good idea to prepare foods that you and your family like.

This is a gathering to pray for the baby's future growth, but we should also take this opportunity to thank the mother who has given birth.

　

3) Take commemorative photos and hand and footprints

Nowadays, in addition to commemorative photographs, it has become customary to take the baby's handprints and footprints as mementos on the Shichi-ya festival.
The tiny handprints and footprints of a newborn baby can be seen when the baby grows up, making them a great keepsake.

It is also trendy to use handprints and footprints as a design along with a photograph when reporting the birth to relatives and friends who were unable to attend the Shichi-ya ceremony.

Make sure to keep many records of the Shichi-ya celebration so that when your baby grows up, you can tell him or her about how happy and joyful your family and those around you were.

5. Festive attire

Since the Shichi-ya event is centered around the baby, the father and mother do not need to be too particular about what they wear.
Especially for mothers who have just given birth, their physical and mental health is not at its best, so it is important to choose clothes that do not put strain on the body.

If you are breastfeeding, you should also consider whether your clothing is suitable for breastfeeding.

There are three main types of outfits that babies wear on the Shichi-ya festival.

■ Ceremony dress A ceremony dress is, as the name suggests, a dress worn during special occasions. If you have a ceremony dress prepared for you when you are discharged from the hospital where you gave birth, you can have your baby wear it for the Shichi-ya ceremony.

■Rompers Rompers are generally thought of as baby clothes that can be worn everyday, but depending on the design they can also be worn for special occasions such as the Shichi-ya festival.

■ Simple kimonos and haori In recent years, some families have been dressing their babies in simple kimonos, which are often worn on special occasions such as the 100th day celebration.

At Hare to Kurashi, we recommend "HAREGI," which can be worn by babies who cannot yet hold their heads up.
There are many Japanese-style celebrations during the first year after birth. "HAREGI" is easy to put on, and it can be quickly put on even when the baby is sleeping, or when taking commemorative photos.
The adorable crepe fabric, perfect for Japanese celebrations, is a cutting-edge material that can be easily washed and is great for babies.

The Shichi-ya festival is a baby's first event.

Make sure to keep many records of the Shichi-ya celebration so that when your baby grows up, you can tell him or her about how happy and joyful your family and those around you were.

In addition, there will be many other celebrations to come as the baby grows, such as the shrine visit and the first meal.
If you know the basics of baby celebrations, you won't have to panic as the celebration date approaches! We hope that the celebration of your upcoming child will be an irreplaceable memory for your family.