Seijin shiki
Encyclopedia
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
over the past year, and to help them realize that they have become adult
s. Festivities include held at local and prefectural
offices, as well as after-parties amongst family and friends.
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, 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.
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.
The celebration of one's coming of age reflects both the expanded rights but also increased responsibilities of new adults. However, disruptions to some ceremonies in recent years (such as an incident in Naha in 2002) and a general increase in the number of 20-year-olds who do not feel themselves to be adults have caused some concern among older Japanese.
Age of majority
The age of majority is the threshold of adulthood as it is conceptualized in law. It is the chronological moment when minors cease to legally be considered children and assume control over their persons, actions, and decisions, thereby terminating the legal control and legal responsibilities of...
over the past year, and to help them realize that they have become adult
Adult
An adult is a human being or living organism that is of relatively mature age, typically associated with sexual maturity and the attainment of reproductive age....
s. Festivities include held at local and prefectural
Prefecture
A prefecture is an administrative jurisdiction or subdivision in any of various countries and within some international church structures, and in antiquity a Roman district governed by an appointed prefect.-Antiquity:...
offices, as well as after-parties amongst family and friends.
History
Coming of ageComing of age
Coming of age is a young person's transition from childhood to adulthood. The age at which this transition takes place varies in society, as does the nature of the transition. It can be a simple legal convention or can be part of a ritual, as practiced by many societies...
ceremonies have been celebrated in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
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
Happy Monday System
The refers to a set of modifications to Japanese law in 1998 and 2001 to move a number of public holidays in Japan to Mondays, creating a three-day weekend for those who normally have a five-day work week.-See also:* Public holidays in Japan* Japanese calendar...
, 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, 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 ceremony
are generally held in the morning at local city offices. All young adults who turned or will turn 20 between April 2 of the previous year and April 1 of the current one and who maintain residencyJuminhyo
A is a registry of current residential addresses maintained by local governments in Japan. Japanese law requires each citizen to report his or her current address to the local authorities who compile the information for tax, national health insurance and census purposes.The jūminhyō is different...
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
Furisode
A is a style of kimono distinguishable by its long sleeves, which average between 39 and 42 inches in length. It is the most formal style of kimono worn by unmarried women in Japan. The furisode is made of very fine, brightly-colored silk, and is commonly rented or bought by parents for their...
(a style of kimono
Kimono
The is a Japanese traditional garment worn by men, women and children. The word "kimono", which literally means a "thing to wear" , has come to denote these full-length robes...
with long sleeves that drape down) and zōri
Zori
are flat and thonged Japanese sandals made of rice straw or other plant fibers, cloth, lacquered wood, leather, rubber, or—increasingly—synthetic materials...
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
Hakama
are a type of traditional Japanese clothing. They were originally worn only by men, but today they are worn by both sexes. Hakama are tied at the waist and fall approximately to the ankles. Hakama are worn over a kimono ....
), 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.
The celebration of one's coming of age reflects both the expanded rights but also increased responsibilities of new adults. However, disruptions to some ceremonies in recent years (such as an incident in Naha in 2002) and a general increase in the number of 20-year-olds who do not feel themselves to be adults have caused some concern among older Japanese.