On the hundred and twentieth day after their birth children, whether male or female, are weaned.[120] This day is fixed, and there is no need to choose a lucky day.  If the child be a boy, it is fed by a gentleman of the family; if a girl, by a lady.  The ceremony is as follows:—­The child is brought out and given to the weaning father or sponsor.  He takes it on his left knee.  A small table is prepared.  The sponsor who is to feed the child, taking some rice which has been offered to the gods, places it on the corner of the little table which is by him; He dips his chop-sticks thrice in this rice, and very quietly places them in the mouth of the child, pretending to give it some of the juice of the rice.  Five cakes of rice meal are also placed on the left side of the little table, and with these he again pretends to feed the child three times.  When this ceremony is over, the child is handed back to its guardian, and three wine-cups are produced on a tray.  The sponsor drinks three cups, and presents the cup to the child.  When the child has been made to pretend to drink two cups, it receives a present from its sponsor, after which the child is supposed to drink a third time.  Dried fish is then brought in, and the baby, having drunk thrice, passes the cup to its sponsor, who drinks thrice.  More fish of a different kind is brought in.  The drinking is repeated, and the weaning father receives a present from the child.  The guardian, according to rules of propriety, should be near the child.  A feast should be prepared, according to the means of the family.  If the child be a girl, a weaning mother performs this ceremony, and suitable presents must be offered on either side.  The wine-drinking is gone through as above.

[Footnote 120:  This is only a nominal weaning.  Japanese children are not really weaned until far later than is ordinary in Europe; and it is by no means uncommon to see a mother in the poorer classes suckling a hulking child of from five to seven years old.  One reason given for this practice is, that by this means the danger of having to provide for large families is lessened.]

On the fifteenth day of the eleventh month of the child’s third year, be the child boy or girl, its hair is allowed to grow. (Up to this time the whole head has been shaven:  now three patches are allowed to grow, one on each side and one at the back of the head.) On this occasion also a sponsor is selected.  A large tray, on which are a comb, scissors, paper string, a piece of string for tying the hair in a knot, cotton wool, and the bit of dried fish or seaweed which accompanies presents, one of each, and seven rice straws—­these seven articles must be prepared.[121]

[Footnote 121:  For a few days previous to the ceremony the child’s head is not shaved.]