Omiyamairi ~ A Shrine Visit

In the past, Omiyamairi was the first outing for a newborn and a chance to pay a visit to the local Shinto shrine and to introduce the baby to the shrineís god. This visit marked the thirty-first day after the birth of a baby boy and the thirty-second day after the birth of a baby girl. Today, mothers generally wait about a month or so before taking their baby to the shrine.

On the day of the visit to the shrine, the baby is dressed in a formal kimono (a gift from the maternal grandparents). The paternal grandmother carries the baby and the parents accompany them. The kimono worn by the baby on this auspicious occasion has unique traditional features: there is no seam on the back of kimono since its width is the same as a bolt of kimono fabric. The back of regular kimonos consists of two widths of the kimono fabric. Other special features include long narrow sleeves, decorative cords and five family crests on the kimono.

A boy’s kimono is made of habutae (plain-woven silk) and is black with bold patterns. The under-kimono is made of white, yellow or brown habutae.

A baby girlís kimono is often made of crepe and decorated with auspicious motifs such as cranes, tortoises, pines, chrysanthemums and other flowers.