Jinjitsu

Jinjitsu (人日, "Human Day") is one of the five seasonal festivals (五節句 gosekku) that were integrated into the Japanese Imperial calendar over 1,000 years ago.

It is also known as Nanakusa-no-sekku, the "Feast of Seven Herbs", from the custom of eating seven-herb kayu (七草粥 nanakusa-gayu) to ensure good health and to ward off away evil spirits in the coming new year.

The typical herbs used for the creation of nanakusagayu are nazuna, seri, gogyo, hotokenza, suzushiro, and hakobe.

The celebration of the feast in Japan was moved from the 7th day of the first lunar month to the 7th day of January during the Meiji period, when Japan adopted the solar calendar during its time of reform from isolationism to a more modern, global form of government.

Also included in some the celebrations are the singing of folk songs or nanakusabayashi which are performed in some areas throughout Japan.