Seijin no Hi (成人の日) is a holiday that celebrates Coming of Age Day in Japan, where people reach the age of 20. Until 1999, this event always took place on January 15th, but from 2000 onwards there was a change in the calendar and the ceremony began to be held on the 2nd Monday of January.
For centuries, it has been common in Japan to celebrate coming of age, as an incentive for new adults to take on new responsibilities. Since the Edo period (1603-1868), boys became adults around the age of 15 and girls became adults around the age of 13. It was only in 1876 that the Japanese government decided to establish the legal age of majority as 20.
Young people who have reached this age between April 2nd of last year and April 1st of this year are invited to a Seijin Shiki Ceremony. On this day, the new adults dress in their finest clothes, the girls in kimonos, which is the most formal clothing for women, and the men wear the typical Western formal attire. In celebration, the local mayor informs them about the responsibilities and rights of adulthood.
During the ceremony, which usually takes place in the morning, the new adults receive small gifts and a sum of money from the Japanese government. On this day, lectures are given to the young adults about their new rights, duties and responsibilities that they will have from now on.
The number of participants in Seijin shiki has been decreasing year after year. Many point to Japan’s low birth rate as a reason for this. Japanese media also point to other factors, such as the high cost of attire. Nowadays, the government gives a lot of support to Seijin no Hi (coming of age ceremony day), so the Japanese government finances a large part of the ceremony, which is quite expensive. Young people often rent or borrow clothes for the ceremony from relatives, as buying them is quite difficult due to the high cost of formal and traditional clothing. After the ceremony is over, young people get together with their friends and go out for drinks for the first time in Japanese society to celebrate coming of age.
And from April 1, 2022, the age of majority will come into effect at 18 in Japan.
The revision of the Civil Code to lower the age of adulthood from 20 to 18 years old was approved at the plenary session of the House of Councillors of the National Diet of Japan, coming into effect from April 1, 2022.
National Holiday: January 13, Seijin No Hi (Coming of Age Day).