還暦祝い(Kanreki Iwai) – 60years old cerebration

16th May – 皐月

Japanese culture has special cerebration for turning point of years. One of the big cerebration can be 成人式 (Seijinshiki = 20years old) and 還暦祝い (Kanreki Iwai) for 60 years old.

For 還暦祝い, traditionally people who turned 60 years old wear red hat and vest. However, nowadays, this custom is vanishing and instead of that, people give red items to the person who turned 60 years old. But why red?

In Japan, there are special almanac called 十干十二支 (Jikkan Juunishi) and it takes 60 years to go through all the almanac years. When people become 60 years old, the year returns to the same one as the born year. For babies, they are given red clothes – this is because red is considered as the color of talisman protecting from evils, and also avoid from sickness. Therefore, red is the special color for 60 years old too.

In the past, living until 60years old was such a big deal, and considered as long life not like nowadays. Also, Japan used to use 数え年 (Kazoe Doshi) which counts as 1 years old from when people are born (and every New Year’s Day, all people get older). Thus people back then used to cerebrate Kanreki at 61 years old.

After 60 years old, there are still special cerebration ages:

古希 (Koki) – 70 years old

喜寿 (Kiju) – 77 years old

70th special color is purple

傘寿 (Sanju) – 80 years old

米寿 (Beiju) – 88 years old

80th special color is yellow-brown (gold)

卒寿 (Sotsuju) – 90 years old

白寿 (Hakuju) – 99 years old

90th special color is White

百寿 (Hyakuju / Momoju) – 100 years old

Hope we can cerebrate 百寿!:)