Miyamairi

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Miyamairi (宮参り, literally "shrine visit") is a traditional Shinto rite of passage in Japan for newborns.

Approximately one month after birth (31st day for boys and 32 days for girls), parents and grandparents bring the child to a Shinto shrine, to express gratitude to the deities for the birth of a baby and have a shrine priest pray for his or her health and happiness. The practice is not dissimilar a Christian Baptism.

Today, most of Miyamairi is practiced between one month or 100 days after birth. In famous and busy shrines, the ceremony is held every hour in turn, often during weekends. A group of a dozen babies and their families are usually brought in the hall, one group after another. Before the altar, a Shinto priest wearing costume and headgear appears between the group and the altar, reciting a prayer and swinging a Tamagushi right and left. During the prayer the priest cites the name of the baby, the names of the parents, the family's address and the baby's birthday. Afterwards, the parents and grandparents go forward one by one and bow to the altar and place tamagushi upon the alter.

At the end of the ceremony, rice wine in a red wooden cup is given to each attendant, or small gifts are given to the family.

A shrine will typically charge a rate of about ¥5,000 to ¥10,000 per baby.