Every year on November 15th, Japanese parents celebrate Shichi-Go-San, a festival which marks the growth of their children into important stages of their childhood. Literally meaning “seven-five-three,” the rite of passage honors young boys and girls as they turn three years of age, young boys as they turn five years of age, and young girls as they turn seven years of age.

Traditionally, Shichi-Go-San was only celebrated by court nobles of the Heian Period, and, later, by the samurai. As odd numbers have always been considered lucky in Japan, ages three, five, and seven were also considered lucky years in a child’s life. Age three marked the first time that children of the samurai class, who were required to have shaven heads, were allowed to let their hair grow. At age five, boys could wear hakama for the first time, and girls of age seven could tie their kimonos with the traditional obi instead of the simple cords they used prior to this point.

It wasn’t until the Meiji Period that the festival was fully adopted by Japanese commoners, who had begun taking their children to shrines in order to drive out evil spirits and wish for a long, healthy life.

Today, parents still take their children to pray at shrines, dressing them in their ceremonial best and taking their pictures. The boys don haori jackets and hakama trousers, while the girls wear a kimono, many of them for the first time in their lives. An increasing number of parents have also begun to dress their children in Western-style suits and dresses, but most still prefer to honor their children by dressing them in the traditional clothing of Japan.

Since Shichi-Go-San is not a national holiday, it is generally celebrated on the weekend falling nearest to November 15. After a visit to the shrine, parents continue to express their desire for their children to lead long and prosperous lives by buying them chitose-ame, or “thousand years candy.” Long and shaped like a stick, the red and white candy comes in a bag with illustrations of cranes and turtles on it, both of which represent longevity in Japan.