Pop Japan

Japan is the land of festivals. They have festivals and holidays for almost everything - including celebrating a child’s coming of age.

Compared to Western culture where 18 is the legal age, in Japan, you are only considered to be an adult when you reach the age of 20. The celebration called Seijin no Hi (literally Coming-of-Age Day) is commonly held during the second Monday of January. All children who turned 20 between the period of two Seijin no Hi are invited to attend. It is done to welcome those who just entered the adulthood and no longer considered as children.

The coming-of-age ceremonies or seijin-shiki usually happen in the morning at their local area. Government officials give speeches to remind them of their responsibilities and duties as adults and they are also usually given small presents. After the formal ceremony, the newly welcomed adults go drinking or attend parties in the afternoon.

Girls usually wear a kimono and glamour themselves by fixing their hair or putting on makeup. Boys, on the other hand, may wear a hakama but recently, have been wearing suits for the ceremony.

For the Japanese youth, they consider this day as a rite of passage and a proof that they are already indeed adults.