50th Day Celebration - Ikanoiwai

Japanese: 五十日祝 - いかのいわい

This is one of the rites of passage held in the aristocratic society of the Heian period. It is also called pine mochi. On the night of the 50th day after birth, mochi is crushed with a pestle, mixed with gruel and soup stock, and then the newborn baby is given the mixture with wooden chopsticks and paddles. This role is played by the father or maternal grandfather, and the ceremony is often held at the hour of the dog (around 8 p.m.). This ceremony includes the custom of preparing mochi from the market (the eastern market in the first half of the month and the western market in the second half of the month), and is thought to have been a formalization of a folk custom.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

平安朝の貴族社会で行われた通過儀礼の一つ。松の餅（もちい）とも呼ぶ。生誕50日目に当たる夜，餅を磨粉木（すりこぎ）でつぶし，重湯，煎汁（いろり）(だし汁)などをまぜ，木の箸と（かい）で新生児に含ませる儀。この役には父または外祖父が当たり，式は戌（いぬ）の刻(午後8時ごろ)の例が多い。この儀には市（いち）の餅(月の前半は東市，後半は西市)を調進するしきたりで，もと民間習俗だったものが形式化されたものとみられる。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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