First birthday - Hatsutanjo

Japanese: 初誕生 - ハツタンジョウ

The first birthday. In Japan, there was originally no custom of celebrating birthdays every year, and it was limited to the first birthday. The way of celebrating differs depending on the region, but for boys, mochi is pounded, and for girls, red rice is cooked, and the midwife, relatives, and neighbors are invited to celebrate. Children who can stand and walk around the age of one are said to leave home early, and have a bad reputation, so there was a custom of making such children carry a one-sho mochi on their back. Conversely, for children who cannot walk, the mochi is pretended to hit the child on the waist. Also, on this first birthday, the Erabidori ceremony is held. For boys, a brush, abacus, book, and ruler are placed, and for girls, a ruler, spool of thread, brush, and scissors are placed, and the child's future is predicted based on what they first get.

Source: "Japanese Handy Book for Quick Responses" published by Asahi Shimbun Publications Co., Ltd. Information about the Japanese Handy Book for Quick Responses

Japanese:

満一歳の誕生日。毎年の誕生日を祝う風習は、本来、日本にはなく、初誕生日だけに限られていた。祝い方は土地によって違うが、男児の場合は餅をつき、女児の場合は赤飯を炊き、産婆や親戚、近隣を招いて祝う。満一歳の頃には立ち歩きができる子は早く家を離れるとされ、評判が悪く、そういう子には一升餅を背負わせる風習があった。逆に歩けない子に対しては、一升餅で子供の腰を打つまねをする。また、この初誕生日にはエラビドリの儀式をする。男児の場合は筆・そろばん・本・ものさしを置き、女児の場合はものさし・糸巻き・筆・はさみを置き、子供が何を最初に手にするかで、その子の将来を占う儀式である。

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