１１月２０日（火曜日）２０１８
雨が落ちてきそうな曇り空でしたが、昨日は久しぶりに多賀大社へ お参りに行っていつもの散歩コースを歩きました。 期待通り、多賀大社の紅葉はきれいに色づいていました。境内に入ると 月曜日でそれほど多くはないながらも七五三の晴れ着を来た子供と その家族があちこちに見られて微笑ましい光景でした。 男の子なら３歳か５歳、女の子なら３歳か７歳になると家族が子供の成長を願って晴れ着を着せて神社へお参りする風習は江戸時代からあったそうですが、私の子供時代は七五三参りをする家族はまわりにはいなかったように思います。ちびっこ達の表情はみな柔和で時代の豊かさを感じました。元気いっぱい伸び伸び成長してほしいものです。The weather was cloudy and looked like it might rain soon, but I went to Taga Taisha (shrine) for worship and took my regular walking route yesterday. It had been a long time since my last walk. At the shrine, as I expected, the maple trees were beautifully colored in red and at the shrine precinct I could see a couple of families who came for Shichi-Go- San and looked very happy. Shichi-Go-San is a traditional Japanese ceremony to celebrate children's growth. When they trurn three (San), five (Go) and seven (Shichi) years old, they are blessed at a Shinto shrine wearing their best clothes. It has been a custom since the Edo period (1603-1868) but when I was a child I didn't see any families to do this custom in my area probably because people were living in a modest way at that time. The kids looked so happy and I thought Japan became a wealthy country. Wishing them healthy and happy growth.
