Coming of Age

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Coming of Age Day

***** Location: Japan
***** Season: New Year
***** Category: Observance

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Explanation

seijin no hi 成人の日 (せいじんのひ)
Coming of Age Day

seijin shiki 成人式（せいじんしき） coming of age celebration
..... seijin sai 成人祭（せいじんさい）

It used to be the 14th of January, but since 2000 has been celebrated on the second monday in January, an extra holiday, to make sure young people find the time to get to their hometowns and celebrate with friends and family.


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google logo on January 10, 2011


quote
Coming of age ceremonies have been celebrated in Japan since at least 714 AD, when a young prince donned new robes and a hairstyle to mark his passage into adulthood. The holiday was first established in 1948, to be held every year on January 15. In 2000, as a result of the Happy Monday System, Coming of Age Day was changed to the second Monday in January.

Until recently, all young adults attending the coming of age ceremony were exactly 20 years of age (二十歳, hatachi), having held their 20th birthday after the previous year's Coming of Age Day but before (or on) the present Coming of Age Day. In current practice, some of those attending the coming of age ceremony are actually only 19 years old; attendees are those whose 20th birthday falls between April 2 of the previous year and April 1 of the current year.

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 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.
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Worldwide use

Tag der Mündigkeitserklärung

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Things found on the way


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HAIKU


孫の買ふ成人の日の宝くじ　　　
mago no kau seijin no hi no takarakuji

my grandchild buys
a lottery ticket
on his Coming-of Age day of

Kawano Yone 河野　ヨネ
... www13.ocn.ne.jp/~kate/


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Related words

***** . NEW YEAR - Observance Saijiki 　


***** . lottery ticket, takarakuji 宝くじ　



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