There is Coming-of-Age Day in Japan on the January 11th, 2009.

This is a Japanese Holiday.
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Coming of Age Day (成人の日, Seijin no Hi) is a Japanese holiday held annually on the second Monday of January. It is held in order to congratulate and encourage all those who have reached the age of majority (20 years old) over the past year, and to help them realize that they have become adults. Festivities include the coming of age ceremonies (成人式, seijin-shiki) held at local and prefectural offices, as well as after-parties amongst family and friends.

Coming of age ceremonies (成人式, Seijin-shiki) are generally held in the morning at local city offices. All young adults who turned or will turn 20 between April 1 of the previous year and March 31 of the current one and who maintain residency in the area are invited to attend. Government officials give speeches, and small presents are handed out to the newly-recognized adults.

Many women celebrate this day by wearing a furisode (a style of kimono with long sleeves that drape down) and zōri sandals. Since most are unable to put on a kimono by themselves due to the intricacies involved in putting one on, many choose to visit a beauty salon to dress and to set their hair. A full set of formal clothing is expensive, so it is usually either borrowed from a relative or rented rather than being bought especially for the occasion. Men sometimes also wear traditional dress (e.g. dark kimono with hakama), but nowadays many men wear formal Western clothes such as a suit and tie more often than the traditional hakama.

After the ceremony, the young adults often celebrate in groups by going to parties or going out drinking.

I saw a few girls today in their Kimono's.. Did anyone else have a chance to see any?

Japan Girls
In Kimono

Observed by: Japan

Type: National

Significance: Congratulate and encourages all those who have reached the age of majority (20 years old) over the past year and celebrate adulthood

Date: Second Monday in January

2011 date: January 10
2012 date January 9
2013 date January 14



The ceremony is tomorrow January 9th, 2012 !!!

You will probably see a lot of girls, and boys dressed up, signifying that they turned 20 years old this year.

Even the guys get into it!  I love the irreverent look of this group of guys.

 

This picture was taken today (Jan 8) at Shimonoseki, the southernmost city on Honshu.  As we returned this morning on the ferry from Korea, we stumbled into a crowd of hundreds of Japanese youth celebrating Coming of Age Day.