初七日(しょなのか)

しょなのか
noun
7th day memorial; first seventh-day service
1. 7th day memorial service; first seventh-day service
A Buddhist memorial service held on the seventh day after a person's death. The first of several memorial services marking the deceased's journey in the afterlife.
初七日(しょなのか)の法要(ほうよう)を行(おこな)った。
We held the seventh-day memorial service.
初七日(しょなのか)までは魂(たましい)がこの世(よ)にいるとされる。
It is said the soul remains in this world until the seventh day.
最近(さいきん)は葬儀(そうぎ)と初七日(しょなのか)を同(おな)じ日(ひ)に行(おこな)うことが多(おお)い。
Recently, it's common to hold the funeral and seventh-day service on the same day.

In Japanese Buddhism, the soul undergoes judgment every seven days for 49 days.

MEMORIAL SERVICE SEQUENCE:

  • 初七日(しょなのか): 7th day
  • 二七日(ふたなのか): 14th day
  • 三七日(みなのか): 21st day
  • 四七日(よなのか): 28th day
  • 五七日(いつなのか): 35th day
  • 六七日(むなのか): 42nd day
  • 四十九日(しじゅうくにち): 49th day (most important)

MODERN PRACTICE:
Many families now combine 初七日(しょなのか) with the 葬儀(そうぎ) service for convenience.

Related Words

Related: 四十九日(しじゅうくにち) (49th day memorial)
Related: 法要(ほうよう) (memorial service)
general
Added 2026.1.17 6:25 · Revised 2026.6.11 0:54
06000/06016_shonanoka