Seijin no hi: Coming of age day
On the second monday of January, Japan has a national holiday that celebrates 20 year olds called Seijin no hi (成人の日). This celebration is a coming of age ceremony that recognizes the transition into adulthood.
What happens on Seijin no Hi?
Ceremony
All 20 year olds that are registered, will automatically be sent an invitation to a ceremony that happens in a prefectural office or nearby gymnasium. The ceremony is called seijin shiki.
These ceremonies involve speeches from important people in the community about what it means to become an adult. It also includes small gifts and souvenirs for those who attend.
Outfits
An especially important part of this ceremony is that many women choose to wear a traditional kimono with long sleeves called furisode. Men usually wear a suit or hakama (traditional Japanese formal wear) Since these outfits are expensive, most people choose to rent them.
After parties
Since 20 is the drinking age in Japan, many people choose to go out drinking afterwards. Police officers are on duty to control the crazy after parties, because many people get very drunk on this day.
What rights do you have when you turn 20 in Japan?
When you turn 20, Japanese people have the right to drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes, gamble, and drive trucks. Until recently, under-20s could not vote but this has now changed to 18.
New Update: Starting from April 1st 2022, the age of adulthood under the law will be changed to 18. This is to solve the problems of 18 year olds being unable to live as an adult in daily life (renting apartments, etc…) The laws relating to health such as drinking, smoking, and gambling will stay 20, as well as the seijin no hi ceremony.
History of Seijin no Hi
Seijin no hi has been observed since 1948. It’s said that the concept of this ceremony originated in the 700s in a tradition called Genpuku. These were ceremonies for high-society men, where they would wear new clothes and a hairstyle to mark adulthood. Genpuku evolved into the modern day seijinshiki, which includes both men and women.
Japan’s concept of adulthood
In other countries, the age of adulthood tends to be lower. There are quinceañeras at 15 or sweet 16 parties. In a way, Japan sees the age of adulthood at a slightly older age of 20. This makes sense since many people choose to stay at home even when going to college or when they start working.
If you’re ever in Japan during this holiday, be sure to look for the beautiful kimonos and hakamas. I hope that this gave an informative overview on Seijin no hi. For more articles on Japanese culture check out my other Japanese articles like Christmas traditions in Japan: 4 unique traditions or Japanese New Years Traditions
~Tanuki