Coming of Age Day (seijin no hi) is a Japanese holiday held on the second Monday of January. It is a great day for kimono spotting. In day-to-day life in Japan, it is rare to see people in kimono. On Coming of Age Day, however, you will see them everywhere.
Coming of Age Day celebrates everyone who turned 20 years old (the age of majority in Japan) during the past year. It is customary for these young adults to wear traditional Japanese clothing, especially the women, who wear furisode kimono with long swinging sleeves. Most men seem to opt for smart Western suits, although some of them do wear kimono and hakama.
There are some young people, however, who have decided to put a new spin on Coming of Age Day fashion. A few days ago, I read a Japan Times article discussing ‘improper attire’ in the city of Kitakyushu. Apparently men have begun wearing brightly coloured hakama and women are dressing in a style of kimono that was popular with oiran, the high-class prostitutes of the Edo Period, showing lots of cleavage and shoulder.
If you want to get an impression of Coming of Age Day celebrations in Kitakyushu (the city discussed in the Japan Times article), I recommend the video below. It shows a mix of traditional costumes and the newer styles. The guys in the beginning of the video really remind me of the anime ‘Great Teacher Onizuka‘, which basically means they look and sound like 1980’s gangsters. Also don’t miss the guy in ladies underwear at the end of the video.
Judging from this video, it seems like a pretty raucous affair. Apparently the past few years it has not been not uncommon to have car crashes, fighting and vandalism on Coming of Age Day, although some places seem to be more famous for it than others. To be fair though, I think in most places in Japan people just dress traditionally, go to a temple and have a calm party afterwards with their friends. It’s always the excess that gets the most attention. I would love to have some reader feedback on this though. Please feel free to comment below!
But back to Kitakyushu. Apparently some people were scandalized by this new kimono fashion trend and the city of Kitakyushu has responded by setting up a webpage to educate new 20-year-olds on appropriate attire for the event. Unfortunately I can’t read Japanese, but I watched the video. It shows how a girl is supposed to walk, sit, enter a car and even go to the bathroom (if I am not mistaken) while wearing a furisode kimono. Where are the recommendations for the boys???
I wonder though, if the main problem is the new style of dressing or rather the vandalism and violence that sometimes seems to be associated with Coming of Age Day celebrations. And why do these young people go so crazy, both in fashion and behavior?
Several things come to mind. Firstly, innovations by younger generations are often perceived as shocking by older generations. This is a phenomenon as old as time. Secondly, I have come to understand that for many Japanese people, their early twenties is the only time they truly feel free. During their primary and secondary school years, they are under enormous pressure to pass entrance exams to get into good high schools and universities. After university, they enter the workforce and work long hours under strict behavior and dress codes. Or they start a family and are completely absorbed by their duties as parents (for many women this still holds true). During their university years however, they are free to do as they want. And finally, I do believe that Japan is changing. A new generation is emerging that is discarding the traditional ways and looking for their own way of doing things, much as happened in the West during the sixties. I am curious to see how things will evolve!
The Japans 
that coming-of-age attire worn by the blond young guy shown in the photo looks nice. simple but rather aristocrat-like.
Maybe it could be considered ‘iki’? It is a kind of understated elegance, with subdued colours. It is a style made popular by geisha in the edo period and was later adopted by the general public in the 19th century.
Is it? I have always liked understated elegance.
Thank you, Haruko-chan for your fascinating post. I never knew about coming of age in Japan. As for the younger generation, I notice that many women dye their hair as opposed to some of their Asian counterparts and their elders.
To have brown hair is a fashion trend I guess. Don’t Korean girls do this as well? I’m not sure.
I think it’s the kuyakusho- and shiyakusho-organized ceremonies you go to on this day if you want to attend the official ceremony in your neighborhood (not sure about going to a temple) and I think many if not most go. I did not, not knowing that was the common practice as I did not attend Japanese middle/high school but I was sent some sort of souvenir by the local government afterwards (which you’re sent home with if you do attend the official ceremony).
Kids do seem to enjoy the occasion as one big party. 🙂
So no furisode for you on coming of age day?
If coming of age isn’t a sufficient excuse to have a party, what is, right? 🙂
No furisode but I was given a pair of diamond earrings instead ^^
That’s not too shabby either 🙂