November 15 is the day for Shichi-go-san(lit.”Seven-Five-Three”),a festival to celebrate the growth of children.

Parents the their three and five-years-old sons and seven-years-old daughters.

to shrines and have a Shinto ritual to pray for their future health.Children dress up in kimono or their best dresses.

The custom dates back to the Heian Period(794-1185)when court nobles would celebrate their children’s good health.

Later, the practice was adopted among commoners as well.

Shinto which is Japanese indigenous religion is deeply rooted in the Japanese traditions and customs,

and Shinto purification rituals play an important role in modern daily life.

Many marriages are carried out in a Shinto Shrine, building plots are purified and sometimes even new cars are blessed for safety.

Purification ceremonies called oharai. are carried out by the white-clad priest who waves a stick with white strips of paper attached

to do the blessing.Even many young married couples take their one month old babies to a shrine,

celebrating the babies’ birth and wishing their healthy growth.

Unlike the world’s major religions, Shinto has no fixed dogma or sacred scriptures.Probably for this reason,

most Japanese easily incorporate Shinto into their life without having a strong belief in Shinto.

Shinto shrines are distinguished from Buddhist temples by the torii gate which is the entrance to a Shinto Shrine.