七五三は英語で「An event to celebrate the growth of children(こどもの成長を祝う行事)」です。
KANA
Shichigosan is an event to celebrate the growth of children aged 3, 5, and 7, and it is customary to visit a shrine or temple on November 15. (七五三は3歳・5歳・7歳の子どもたちの成長を祝う行事で、11月15日に神社や寺院に参拝するのが習慣となっています。)
The predominant theory is that Shichigosan started on December 24, 1681, praying for the health of Tokugawa Tokumatsu, the eldest son of Tsunayoshi Tokugawa, the fifth shogun of the Edo Shogunate.
Originally it was a custom in the Kanto region, but it gradually spread throughout the country.
もともと関東地方の風習でしたが、次第に全国に広まっていきました。
originally/もともと
custom/風習
Kanto region/関東地方
gradually/次第に
spread/広まる
throughout the country/全国に
In the old days when medical care was not as developed as it is today, infant mortality was so high that it was not natural to grow healthy until the age of seven.
From the ages of 3 to 7, it was thought that children were particularly vulnerable to illness as they grew up, so the ritual of praying for their growth, Shichigosan, began to take place.
“Shichigosan” sounds like one event, but in reality it is a separate event for each age group.
「七五三」は1つの行事のように聞こえますが、実際には年齢ごとに別々の行事となっています。
Shichigosan/七五三
sound/聞こえる
like/のように
event/行事
in reality/実際には
separate/別々の
each/それぞれの
age/年齢
group/集まり
3 years old: Kamioki “Kamioki” is a ritual performed when children start to grow their hair. At that time, babies had a habit of shaving, so from this day on, they were able to grow their hair.
7 years old: Obitoki “Obitoki” is a ritual in which a girls stop wearing a kimono for children and begins to wear a “obi” that is the same width as an adult.
Depending on whether they are boys or girls, the age at which they celebrate Shichigosan is different.
男の子か女の子かで、七五三のお祝いをする年齢が異なります。
depending on/によって
whether/かどうか
boy/男の子
girl/女の子
age/年齢
celebrate/お祝いをする
Shichigosan/七五三
different/違う
At the age of three, both boys and girls celebrate the Shichigosan, but at the age of five only boys and at the age of seven only girls celebrate the Shichigosan.
“Chitose candy” is a candy to eat at the celebration of Shichigosan.
「千歳飴」は、七五三のお祝いで食べる飴です。
Chitose candy/千歳飴
candy/飴
eat/食べる
celebration/お祝い
Shichigosan/七五三
“Chitose” means “thousand years”, that is, “longevity”, and the candy has a long and thin shape.
「千歳」とは「千年」、つまり「長生き」という意味があり、飴は長細い形をしています
Chitose/千歳
mean/意味する
thousand years/千年
that is/すなわち
longevity/長生き
candy/飴
long/長い
thin/細い
shape/形
The candy that has begun to harden after simmering sugar is stretched many times to form a layer.
砂糖を煮詰めた後に固まり始めた飴を、何度も引き延ばして層を作ります。
candy/飴
begun/
harden/固まる
after/後に
simmer/煮詰める
sugar/砂糖
stretch/伸ばす
many times/何度も
form/つくる
layer/層
As a result, innumerable fine air gaps are created in the transparent candy, creating a white color and a unique texture.
これにより、透明の飴の中に無数の空気の細かい隙間ができ、色が白く独特の食感が生まれます。
as a result/その結果として
innumerable/無数の
fine/細かい
air/空気
gap/隙間
create/作る
transparent/透明の
candy/飴
white/白
color/色
unique/独特の
texture/食感
“Chitose candy” is a red or white color that is said to be auspicious.
「千歳飴」は縁起が良いとされる紅か白の色となっています。
Chitose candy/千歳飴
red/赤
white/白
color/色
it is said/と言われている
auspicious/縁起が良い
“Chitose candy” is put in a bag with auspicious pictures such as crane turtle and pine, bamboo and plum .
「千歳飴」は鶴亀や松竹梅など、縁起の良い絵の描かれた袋に入れられています。
Chitose candy/千歳飴
put/入れる
bag/袋
auspicious/縁起の良い
picture/絵
such as/など
crane/鶴
turtle/亀
pine/松
bamboo/竹
plum/梅
At a confectionery store that values tradition and style, the created “Chitose candy” is delivered to the shrine, and after performing a purification ceremony, it is displayed at the store.