Seven nights - Shichiya

Celebration on the seventh day after birth. Even today, naming of newborn babies is done by the seventh night. In the old days, it was called Ubuyashinai, and the first night was celebrated, followed by the third, fifth, seventh, and ninth nights, but later the other nights were abandoned and only the seventh night was celebrated. Depending on the region, the seventh night is called Hitobuya, Oyanoiwai, Okibi, Hisarae, etc., and in many places it is the day when the newborn mother gets out of bed, and is considered the first step in clearing the taboo of the newborn mother. In many places, it is believed that the father's taboo is cleared on this day. On this day, the newborn baby is named, and the midwife, the matchmaker's wife, relatives, etc. are invited to celebrate the spread of the baby's name. The father generally gives the baby a name, but sometimes a godparent is asked to name the baby. In the old days, many newborn babies died before the seventh night, so the seventh night was also an important time to check the baby's growth. This day is called Uide or Desome, and it is the first day for a newborn baby to go outside. It is common to visit the gods of the house, hearth, and well. In the Kanto and Chubu regions, there is a custom of visiting the god of the toilet.

[Yuki Ofuji]

"Family Chats" (included in The Complete Works of Yanagita Kunio Vol. 15, 1963, Chikuma Shobo) ▽ "The Imperial Gift Foundation Mother and Child Care Association, ed., Compilation of Japanese Child Rearing Customs and Folklore (1975, Daiichi Hoki Publishing)" ▽ "Ofuji Yuki's "Infant Raising" (1968, Iwasaki Bijutsusha)" ▽ "Matsuoka Toshio's "Life Rituals" (1962, Yoshikawa Kobunkan)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

生後7日目の祝い。現在も生児の命名は七夜までに行われている。古くはウブヤシナイといって、出生当日を初夜、ついで三夜、五夜、七夜、九夜を祝ったが、その後ほかは廃れて七夜のみとなった。地方によって七夜をヒトウブヤ、オヤノイワイ、オキビ、ヒサラエなどといい、産婦が床上げをする日としている所は多く、産婦の忌みが晴れる第一段階としている。父親の忌みはこの日で晴れるとする所が多い。この日生児に命名をし、名広めの祝いとして産婆、仲人(なこうど)の女親（仲人の妻）、親戚(しんせき)などを招いて祝う。名前は一般に父親がつけるが、名付け親を頼む場合もある。昔は生児が七夜までに死亡する場合が多く、七夜はその成長を確かめるだいじな折り目でもあった。この日をウイデ、デゾメなどといって、生児の初外出として、家の神、竈(かまど)神、井戸神などに参る風が広くみられる。関東から中部地方にかけては便所神に参る風習がある。

［大藤ゆき］

『「家閑談」（『定本柳田国男集15』所収・1963・筑摩書房）』▽『恩賜財団母子愛育会編『日本産育習俗資料集成』（1975・第一法規出版）』▽『大藤ゆき著『児やらい』（1968・岩崎美術社）』▽『松岡利夫著『人生儀礼』（1962・吉川弘文館）』

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