🎏 Japan Shichi-Go-San Calculator (七五三)

七五三 (Shichi-Go-San, literally "seven-five-three") is a traditional Japanese celebration for young children. Families dress their children in kimono and visit a shrine to pray for healthy growth. The numbers refer to the ages celebrated: boys at 3 and 5, and girls at 3 and 7.

The custom dates back to the Edo period, when these ages marked important milestones in a child's life - for example, age 3 when children first grew their hair, age 5 when boys wore hakama for the first time, and age 7 when girls wore the obi sash properly. Today it is a beloved photo opportunity and family event rather than a strict rite of passage.

The celebration is traditionally held on 15 November, though many families now go on the nearest weekend for convenience. Because a child is celebrated in the year they turn the age (not necessarily on the exact birthday), the "ceremony year" is simply the birth year plus the age. Our tool works this out for you - just enter the child's birth year and gender. It pairs nicely with the yakudoshi checker if you are also tracking age-based traditions.

The calculator takes a child's birth year and gender, then adds the celebrated ages to get the ceremony years. For a boy born in 2023, the ceremonies fall in 2026 (age 3) and 2028 (age 5). For a girl born in 2023, they fall in 2026 (age 3) and 2030 (age 7).

Because the event is tied to the year the child turns the age, the tool can also tell you whether a ceremony is coming up relative to the current year - handy for budgeting and booking a photographer or shrine visit in advance.

Note that some families celebrate a child at age 3 regardless of gender, and a few celebrate age 5 for girls too - but the classic rule above is the standard. If you are picking an actual date, combine the ceremony year with our rokuyō checker to choose an auspicious day, and check public holidays so out-of-town relatives can join.

1. Enter the child's birth year.
2. Select the child's gender (boy or girl).
3. Click Calculate to see the ceremony year(s).
4. The tool shows the age reached and the calendar year of each ceremony.
5. Plan the shrine visit around 15 November or the nearest weekend.

What ages are celebrated in Shichi-Go-San?

Boys are celebrated at ages 3 and 5; girls at ages 3 and 7. The name 七五三 means seven-five-three, the girls' 7 and boys' 5 plus the shared 3.

When is Shichi-Go-San held?

Traditionally on 15 November. Many families now go on the closest weekend in November for convenience, since 15 November is rarely a weekend.

Is my child celebrated on their birthday or in November?

In the year they turn the age. So a child who turns 3 in December 2026 is still celebrated in autumn 2026, not on their December birthday.

Do both boys and girls celebrate age 3?

Yes - age 3 is shared by both genders. The difference is the older ceremony: boys at 5, girls at 7.

Why these specific ages?

They come from Edo-period milestones: age 3 (first hair growth), age 5 for boys (first hakama), and age 7 for girls (first proper obi sash). They marked steps toward adulthood.

Can I pick an auspicious date?

Yes - once you know the ceremony year, use the rokuyō checker to aim for a 大安 (Taian) day, and check public holidays for out-of-town family.

15 November is the traditional Shichi-Go-San day, but shrines get very crowded then, so many families go on a nearby weekend in early-to-mid November instead. Booking a kimono rental and a photographer a month or two ahead is wise, especially for 3-year-old girls' and 5-year-old boys' ceremonies, which are the most popular.

The celebration is about the year the child reaches the age, so even if their birthday is in December, they are still celebrated that November. Some parents do a "late" ceremony the following spring if the child was too young the prior autumn. Keep the day light and fun - modern Shichi-Go-San is as much about family photos as tradition. For more age-based Japanese customs, see the yakudoshi checker.