Children who turn 3, 5 or 7 in a year are taken to Shinto shrines in November to help ensure their health and happiness. The children are dressed in traditional clothing and their parents and siblings are often in their best dress outfits. The shrines are also the site of weddings where the bride, and sometimes the groom also wear traditional clothing. It all makes for a very joyous and colourful scene. All of these photos were taken on a beautiful Sunday afternoon at a large Kyoto shrine. We hope that they convey a bit of the special atmosphere.