When traveling in Japan, you may see adorable children dressed in kimonos and hakama visiting shrines in late autumn around November. This is Shichigosan, a traditional Japanese event in which children are thanked to the gods for their healthy growth and pray for their future health.

And at this Shichi-Go-San ceremony, children always hold in their hands thin, red and white "Chitose Ame" candies. This candy is more than just a sweet treat. It is imbued with Japanese cultural significance, representing the deep love from parents to their children and a wish for an incredible "thousand years."

In this article, we will introduce the true nature of this special candy, "Chitose Ame," its long history, and the wishes that are contained within it, revealing the fascinating aspects of Japanese culture and how much the Japanese have valued the growth of children.

1. The true identity of Chitose Ame: A long, thin red and white stick

First, let me explain what kind of candy Chitose Ame is specifically.

a. Appearance: length and color

The most distinctive features of Chitose Ame are its long, thin stick shape and its auspicious red and white colors.

• Length: Chitose ame can be up to one meter long and up to 1.5 centimeters in diameter. This incredible length symbolizes the wish for a child's long life and good health, that they will live a "long, thin" and "tenacious" life.

• Red and white: Red and white have long been considered the colors of good fortune and celebration in Japan. By placing red and white candy in a set bag, you can create a festive atmosphere.

b. Ingredients and manufacturing method: the secret to longevity

The main ingredients of Chitose Ame are starch syrup, which is made by saccharifying rice and malt, and sugar.

In the traditional manufacturing method, the starch syrup is boiled in a pot and then stretched repeatedly using a machine called a "seihakuki." Candy has the property of continuing to stretch indefinitely if stretched. This "endless stretchability" characteristic is associated with "longevity," and has established the candy as a lucky charm. This manufacturing method changes the candy from transparent to whitish, giving it a unique texture and gentle sweetness.

2. The deep wishes of parents contained in "Chitose"

The name "Chitose" of Chitose Ame embodies the most earnest and warmest wish a parent has for their child.

a. The desire to live for a thousand years

Chitose literally means "a thousand years." In the days before medical technology was developed, the survival rate of children was low, and parents were extremely happy to see their children safely celebrate Shichi-Go-San.

For this reason, parents would wish for their children to live to be 1,000 years old, and the candy was also called "Sennen Ame" (Thousand Year Ame) or "Jumyo Ame" (Lifespan Ame). Chitose Ame is the ultimate gift from parents, wishing for their children's health and longevity.

b. Auspicious patterns on the bag

Chitose ame is always placed in a long, thin bag with an auspicious design, and the designs on the bag all contain wishes for longevity and good health.

• Crane and Turtle: As the saying goes, "A crane lives for a thousand years, a turtle lives for ten thousand years," the crane and turtle are representative animals that symbolize longevity.

• Pine, bamboo, and plum: Pine and bamboo remain green even in the cold winter, and plum blossoms bloom despite the cold. These are auspicious plants that represent "vitality that does not succumb to adversity" and "healthy growth."

• Takasago no Jo and Uba: These characters in Noh play symbolize marital harmony and longevity.

These beautiful designs are not just decorations, but traditional Japanese designs that contain blessings and prayers for the child's long life ahead.

3. The origins of Chitose Ame: its birthplace in the Edo period

There are various theories about the origin of Chitose Ame, but it is said to date back to the Edo period. The most popular theories are that it was born in bustling areas such as Asakusa and Kanda, the centers of Edo.

• Asakusa origin theory: During the Edo period, a candy seller in the grounds of Sensoji Temple started selling red and white stick-shaped candy called "Sennen-ame" (Thousand-Year Candy), which became popular as a lucky charm for longevity.

• Osaka (Osaka) origin theory: One theory goes that a candy seller in Osaka moved to Edo and began selling it in the grounds of Sensoji Temple as "Senzai Ame" (Thousand Years Candy), and it became a huge hit with the slogan "If you eat this, you will live to be a thousand years old."

Either way, people's "wishes for long life" became linked to the Shichi-Go-San festival, and it became widely accepted as a celebratory sweet among the common people. For people at the time, sweet and delicious candy was a luxury item, and eating Chitose Ame was the ultimate reward for children.

Also check out "10 Things to Do in Tokyo (Asakusa), One of Japan's Top Tourist Destinations" !

4. Shichi-Go-San and Chitose-ame: A Form of Family Love in Japan

Chitose ame also plays a role in deepening the bond between parents and children during the Shichi-Go-San ceremony.

a. Sharing good fortune with family and community

Chitose ame can be very long, making it difficult for a child to eat it all in one sitting. In the old days in Japan, it was customary to cut or crush these long candies and share them with relatives and neighbors.

This custom, called "Ofukuwake," symbolizes the joy of a child having reached Shichigosan safely, and the good fortune of long life that is contained in the candy, all being shared by everyone. It is a custom that reflects Japan's warm sense of community, where children are cherished and raised by the entire community.

b. Don't worry about eating manners

Some people worry that since it's a lucky charm, it shouldn't be broken, but currently there are no clear rules on how to eat it. To make it safe for small children to eat, it is recommended to put it in a plastic bag and pound it into small pieces or cut it up before eating.

Also, if you can't finish it all, you can add it to coffee or tea instead of sugar, or use it as a sweetener in simmered dishes, and enjoy it to the very last bit, in keeping with the Japanese spirit of cherishing auspicious objects.

summary

The Chitose-ame sweets used at Shichi-Go-San are not just long red and white candies. They are a symbol of deep affection and culture, as parents have continued to pray for the healthy growth of their children throughout Japan's long history.

"May you live a long, healthy, tenacious life until you reach 1000 years old." This simple wish, embodied in a single piece of candy, reflects the universal form of family love that remains unchanged through the ages.

If you have the opportunity to visit Japan in autumn, be sure to take a look at the children celebrating their Shichigosan ceremony at the shrine and the bags of Chitose-ame they proudly hold. You will feel the traditional Japanese aesthetic sense and the warm hearts of their parents.

Please also check out " Hokkaido Harvest: A Food Journey Through Autumn's Blessings "