Certified nonprofit organization Charity Santa and STUDIO ALICE Co.,Ltd. worked together to provide a Shichi-Go-San photography experience to 500 financially struggling households nationwide. The initiative reports on the circumstances of applicants and their responses after the experience.
Certified nonprofit organization Charity Santa worked with STUDIO ALICE Co.,Ltd. to run an initiative from July to August 2026 providing studio photography experiences for Shichi-Go-San to economically disadvantaged households, delivering support to 500 households nationwide. In a preliminary survey, 84.7% of the 796 applicant households responded that having photographs taken would have been difficult without support, while 54.1% had previously given up on Shichi-Go-San for financial reasons.
Of the 313 responses to the post-experience survey, 99.7% of parents responded that they wanted to “look back at these photographs together in the future.” The initiative was said to have contributed not only to preserving photographs, but also to easing parents’ feelings of isolation and guilt through an experience celebrating their children’s growth.
The support consisted of a special package including studio photography, costume rental, design photographs and 3 data images. Eligible households included those facing financial difficulties, such as households receiving child-rearing allowance, school assistance or public assistance. Following a test implementation, the initiative was expanded nationwide, with the organizations aiming to create a society that provides “memories of being loved” in continued cooperation with partners.