Coming of Age Day

This special day can trace its origins back to the early 700’s, though the actual age and many of the customs have changed over the years. These days the magic number is 20, as the legal definition in Japan for an adult is anyone 20 years old or over. Once they hit adulthood, they are able to enjoy legal access to alcohol, tobacco and gambling. But back to the actual day itself…

Coming of Age Day

Young Japanese women will often dress to the nines for this special occasion, booking time in salons to have their makeup done professionally as well as having very elaborate hairstyles crafted. But the real color comes from the clothing worn by many of them on this day, the furisode, which is a form of kimono with very long sleeves that hang down. Most kimono are next to impossible to put on single-handedly and a furisode is no different.

In addition to doing hair and makeup, many beauty salons often assist with the dressing, or mothers and grandmothers lend their expertise to make sure everything looks just right. These kimono are very expensive, so it is not uncommon to rent one for the big day, or to don a family member’s hand-me-down.

On their feet the women will wear sandals called zori and around their necks they will often wear erimaki which are fur mufflers that add a very glamorous touch to the ensemble. The end result is quite beautiful and when you see groups of friends all decked out in similar outfits, it’s hard to resist asking to take a photo.

Sadly, for the new adult males, the outfits are very drab in comparison. Some will opt for a more traditional look, wearing a dark male kimono, but the trend these days is for them to wear simple business suits.

Coming of Age Day

Once they are suitably attired, the participants will head to their local town hall where an official ceremony celebrating their ‘coming-of-age’ is presided over by local government representatives, who make speeches about their newfound responsibilities and usually hand over a small gift to each attendee.

Coming of Age Day

Once the ceremony is over, the real celebrating begins with groups of friends visiting izakaya (Japanese pub restaurants), bars and pachinko parlors to ‘legally’ celebrate their passage into adulthood. If you’re at an amusement park on the day, such as Disneyland, DisneySea, or Toshimaen you will no doubt see hordes of fancy kimono-clad ‘adults’, as these locations have always been popular places to celebrate.

But if all you want is a photo, then the best bet is to head to Shibuya City Office where one of the bigger ceremonies takes place in the morning. Failing that, you could just wander around Shibuya itself on the day, as it is a very popular place to celebrate the transition given the number of izakayas it has concentrated into a small area.

Other than their wedding day, it is one of the most formally-dressed occasions for Japanese women, and with all the effort spent on getting their look just right, we are sure they won’t be offended if you ask to take their picture!

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