Japanese longevity celebrations
Kiju 喜寿
Japan’s celebration of turning 77
Kiju (written 喜寿, read きじゅ) is one of Japan’s traditional longevity milestones — a set of birthdays, starting at 60, that families mark with a gathering and gifts. Each has a name drawn from a kanji character or a classical reference, and each has a customary color.
Why 77?
The cursive form of 喜 (joy) resembles 七十七 (77).
The color: Purple
Gifts and decorations for the day are commonly chosen in this color. Which color goes with which age varies somewhat by region and source; the one shown here is the most widely cited.
Who reaches Kiju in 2026?
By Western age counting, anyone born in 1949 turns 77 this year. Japan traditionally used kazoe-doshi — you are 1 at birth and gain a year every New Year’s Day — so some families celebrate a year earlier, in the year the person turns 76 by Western count (born 1950).
Someone born in 1949 reaches Kiju in 2026 reached (2025 by kazoe count)
All seven milestones
Ages are given by Western (full-year) count unless noted. Only the widely documented, standard explanations are shown — no invented meanings. About our data