Seijin Shiki: Coming of Age Day

Every year in Japan, those who turn twenty get to experience a day decided by them! Seijin Shiki, sometimes called adult’s day, is a holiday in Japan where the coming of age into adulthood is celebrated. Occurring every second Monday of January, this day celebrates the age that they can drive, gamble, smoke, drink, and hostess bars.

What to Wear for the Seijin Shiki?

The Seijin Shiki ceremonies have been celebrated since the eighth century in Japan, but the holiday was officially established in 1948, the date later being changed to what it is now in 2000. Most young women wear furisode, a sleeved kimono for unmarried women. Young men usually wear traditional men’s kimonos with hakama.

Where to hold the Seijin Shiki?

The ceremony consists of those turning twenty that year and all those above twenty. This is because there is partying involved in order to celebrate the newfound freedoms of adulthood. Attendees dress to the nines, as the audience takes photos of them in their colorful kimonos. Across Japan these ceremonies can be held in city halls and other official venter locations, however in larger cities these ceremonies can be a bigger deal with a lot of attraction and participants. There are many speeches made as people cheer on the new adults.

A Religious Aspect of the Seijin Shiki

There is also a religious aspect to the day as well. The new adult and their families pay a visit to their local shrine and pray for success, health, and good fortune. This is followed by an afterparty to celebrate the reaching of the drinking age, usually spent amongst friends. Unfortunately, there has been a decline in participation in Seijin Shiki, as Japan’s birth rates have resulted in a decline in the youth population. In 2018 Japan lowered the age of adulthood from 20 to 18, which will come into effect in 2022, therefore causing the future of Seijin Shiki to be very uncertain.