January’s second Monday is Coming of Age Day in Japan, and this year it fell on Monday, January 12. In Japanese tradition, turning 20 years old (revised to 18 years old after a law change in 2022) is considered reaching adulthood. Starting from Coming of Age Day, these young men and women officially step into another stage of life, where they must independently face challenges, as well as take on responsibilities and obligations in society.
On this day, these “new adults” dress in beautiful and elegant traditional clothing to participate in official or community-organized coming of age ceremonies and various celebration activities. The events include receiving blessings, listening to advice from elders, exchanging gifts, taking commemorative photos, and then visiting temples and shrines to make wishes for their adult lives. The scene is grand and solemn.
To attend this once-in-a-lifetime coming of age ceremony, these young men and women dress up elegantly. The boys wear suits or traditional Japanese kimonos, while the girls pay extra attention to styling themselves. They typically prepare or rent kimonos, accessories, and hair ornaments in advance, schedule appointments at beauty salons and photography studios, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the grand ceremony.
It is known that this ritual, introduced to Japan during the Tang Dynasty, has become an important traditional holiday in the country.
On Coming of Age Day, these Japanese girls dressed in colorful kimonos become the center of attention wherever they go, with tourists particularly fond of taking photos with them. Due to the cold weather, when they go out to participate in the ceremony, they wear white furry decorations around their kimonos. Walking in small steps in groups of three to five on the streets, each person becomes a bright and beautiful sight in themselves.