In Japan, some events still have a religious form even though many families now treat them mainly as family occasions. Shichi-Go-San is a clear example.
Because Shichi-Go-San is usually held at a shrine, it may look like a religious ceremony to foreign visitors. For many families, however, the most important part is not praying to the gods. It is celebrating the child’s growth, dressing the child in special clothes, and taking photographs.
Some families also have a Shinto priest perform a blessing. That does not always mean they have a strong religious faith. They may simply think, “Since we are celebrating Shichi-Go-San, we might as well do the whole thing,” or, “Since we have come to the shrine, we may as well have the child blessed.” They are often following the traditional form of the event without thinking deeply about religion.
Other families only take photographs at the shrine and then leave. Some do not visit a shrine at all. They go to a photo studio, take family pictures, and have a meal together. In modern Japan, this still counts as a perfectly normal Shichi-Go-San celebration. For many families, the stronger feeling is, “This is an important stage in our child’s life, so we should at least take proper photographs.”
Even people with little religious faith usually behave respectfully at a shrine. They stay quiet, bow, and follow the customs of the place. This does not necessarily mean they strongly believe in the gods. It often means that they see the shrine as an important place where proper manners should be observed. Believing in the religion and treating the shrine with respect are not the same thing.
Of course, some people sincerely believe in the gods and pray for their child’s safety and health. For them, the same Shichi-Go-San ceremony carries a much stronger religious meaning.
From the outside, both families may appear to be doing exactly the same thing. They visit the shrine and bow in the same way. But whether the event is mainly religious or mainly a family occasion cannot be judged by appearance alone. The real boundary lies in the meaning that the person or family gives to the event.
This is not limited to Shichi-Go-San. The same is true of weddings, New Year shrine visits, and other customs. The same act may be religious for one person and a family tradition or seasonal event for another. In Japan, religion is not always separate from everyday life. It is often quietly mixed into family customs and ordinary celebrations.