Iverna Gardens

Shichi-go-san is a Japanese festival to celebrate the growth and well-being of young children held on the 15^th November.

It literally means ‘three, five and seven-years old’ and boys and girls of this age dress in kimono, the traditional Japanese cloth, and visit a shrine with their parents and family. They give thanks and pray for happiness, good health and a long life.

The children receive chitose ame (千歳飴), which is a special candy, meaning ‘thousand years candy.’ It is a long, thin candy, and is red and white in colour. It is thought to bring good luck and a long life.

The children will explore this festival through a variety of activities, materials and artifacts this week, including singing songs in Japanese and dressing up in kimonos.