宮参り

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 宮参り (みやまいり) is a baby's first family visit to a Shinto shrine, traditionally praying for healthy growth.
• Basic usage: A family goes out together for the baby's visit; an old photograph preserves another family's ceremony.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Ceremony attended in person and past ceremony preserved in a photograph
  • 宮参りに marks the purpose of an outing, while 宮参りの様子 names the scene captured in a photograph. The custom centers on a baby's first shrine visit rather than an ordinary personal visit.