It is an important day for young people over here because it is the day you attain your majority and acquire some rights you did not have before such as the right to vote. This is also the legal age for drinking alcohol and smoking so contrary to many countries in the world, in Japan, you get the right to vote, drink alcohol and smoke at the same time.
Now what does happen during the ceremony ?Well, it is different from region to region and a variety of events are held throughout Japan. The common thing is that everybody is 20 years-old even though it is not entirely true because the attendees being those whose 20th birthday falls between April 2 of the previous year and April 1 of the current year, some people happen to be still 19 the day of the ceremony.
Everybody is usually dressed in formal outfits. Many women wear a Furisode which is a gorgeous kimono. In Japan, women wear kimono on special occasions such as social and traditional events or ceremonies and Seijinshiki is no exception
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Since it is a very important day, women who attend Seijinshiki usually go to the beauty parlor early in the morning to set their hair, make up and wear their kimono. Then, some of them take a picture in a photograph studio.
As for the men, they wear a kimono that is called Haori-Hakama or a usual business suits.
It is held on the second monday of January and so the date changes every year. This year, it is on the 9th of January.
The ceremony is generally held on the morning at the local city office. During it, government officials give speeches and small presents are handed out to the participants. After this, lots of people go to a shrine and get together with old school class mates in what we call a dousoukai 同窓会.As for its history, the ceremony comes from an other and more ancient ceremony called Genpuku. This ceremony consisted in young people changing their formal outfits of children into those of adults, signifying they have become adults.
Benji
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