Coming of Age Day
coming age day 成人の日 seijin hi public holiday japan held annually second monday january happy monday system held order congratulate encourage already reached age maturity april previous year april current year help realise become adult festivity include coming age ceremony 成人式 seijinshiki held local prefectural office well afterparties among family friend june age maturity lowered first time since established according new law came force citizen considered adult onset full year note coming age day ceremony directly linked change legal status young people example adult status becomes effective th birthday exception men woman marry released parental authority time released various family social restriction imposed minor adult become eligible contracting drinking smoking allowed age right vote obtain driver license passenger vehicle begin age motorcycle coming age ceremony celebrated japan since least ce reign empress genmei young prince donned new robe hairstyle mark passage adulthood ritual celebrate adulthood existed since ancient time genpuku changing adult clothing fundoshiiwai loincloth celebration boy mogi dressing keppatsu tying hair girl cultural anthropology folklore study treat ceremony rite passage initiation genpuku 元服 japanese comingofage ceremony date back japan classical nara period – ad ceremony marked transition child adult status assumption adult responsibility age participation varied throughout history depended factor sex political climate social status participant aristocratic child age description genpuku focus male ceremony rather female ceremony due exclusion woman politically important court position warrior status important change clothing hairstyle typically denoted transition men woman youth child often synonymous period adolescence often present throughout period traditional genpuku flourished etymology word atypical reflects major point genpuku ceremonial format case gen 元 mean head fuku 服 mean wearing ceremony also known kakan 加冠 uikōburi 初冠 kanrei 冠礼 shufuku 首服 hatsumotoyui 初元結 general ceremonial format genpuku traditionally considered major rite important ritual affecting life course child exchanged childhood status adult status continues nara – ad tokugawa period – ceremony usually backed older society member political importance included exchange childhood name new adult name 烏帽子名 eboshina adoption adult hairstyle clothing assumption adult responsibility genpuku undergone male female differentiated ceremonial dress men receiving signifying headgear ceremonial court cap 冠 kanmuri samurai helmet woman receiving instead pleated skirt 裳着 mogi population member population participating genpuku depended largely upon historical time period ceremony took place kind government place time specific ceremonial format built around specific construction class rank time period child role preparation adult role since aristocratic child age took part genpuku order assume adult status responsibility role aristocratic child prepare adult life male female child study heian period began age three four usually supervision wet nurse perhaps husband child age taught key court ceremony buddhist doctrine proper ethic age seven moved formal learning specifically studying skill needed navigate court life succeed court position skill included mean limited handwriting calligraphy mainly education requirement male child however education girl important well ultimate goal child whether male female successfully carry family tradition reputation proper education girl tied successful advantageous marriage future ability maintain wealthy patron within court nara heian period – earliest official record genpuku japan date back nara period – ad ceremony based earlier chinese custom tang dynasty beyond nara ceremony flourished throughout aristocratic heian period – ad last classical period japan governed aristocratic court child heian recognized officially gendered genpuku said remained near god child kami child god undergone genpuku often seen youthful medium primary performer ritual exorcism addition clothing attire childhood ungendered uncommon male child wear makeup often wakashū period early childhood genpuku boy classified wakashū period primarily male member aristocracy age seven fifteen engaged genpuku ceremony generally precursor obtaining court cap rank parent chose hold childrens genpuku based number factor including arrival suitable opportunity child readiness court service presence one influential court backer parent ability finance ceremony deemed appropriate time child undergo genpuku variety preparation made upcoming ceremony child acquire capping parent usually person influence would help child ritual clothing adulthood significantly ceremonial court hat kanmuri capping parent biological parent made preparation ceremony capping parent active making arrangement genpuku ceremony almost always took place evening predetermined auspicious day either residence kakan dignitary shishinden kyoto imperial palace capping ceremony held son counselor consultant capping parent often kakan ceremony took place kakans residence ceremony held emperor crown prince current emperor would sometimes cap initiate within shishinden capping parent joined another important ceremonial participant either nokan emperor undergoing ceremony rihatsu loosened childhood coiffure cut end hair bound head fillet otherwise prepared boy receive cap capping child retreated private room exchange ungendered widesleeved childhood robe adult male robe transition child adult complete feasting followed closely thereafter genpuku adult status accompanied marriage eligibility gendering removal male erotic gaze within court abandon makeup use male opportunity obtain court rank girl engaged genpuku well although particular ceremonial ritual commonly referred mogi woman men ceremony revolved around presentation adult clothing however woman presented pleated skirt court cap girl participating mogi comingofage ceremony traditionally blackened teeth shaved eyebrow applied makeup addition long unbound hair tied top head adult hairstyle age samurai – ad aristocratic court government classical japan forced coexist warrioradministration ushering age samurai son aristocracy underwent ceremony genpuku signify adulthood son warrior nobility central feature genpuku throughout time period placing samurai helmet rather court cap high status warrior adult samurai received sword armor time going genpuku youth expected adult labor samuraiclass men acquired full warrior status expected fight open battle addition youth gained right marry officiate shrine ceremony ceremony acted bind youth previously mentioned high status warrior often practice used confirm solidify social status samurai family example samurai family lower status might ceremony genpuku become tied higher status family lower status son would act retainer higher status warrior tied genpuku warrior son accepted full adult welcomed career warrioradministration average age genpuku varied time example throughout tokugawa period – age child underwent genpuku depended upon whether unrest fullfledged warrior expected take part battle unsettled first year tokugawa period parent delayed genpuku son fullgrown around year old however country became peaceful transition period resembling adolescence emerged young boy underwent genpuku trained warrior older warrior engage war war acted sort consummation following genpuku solidifying societal acknowledgement full adult warrior status long peace continued appropriate age transition child adult lowered response dynastic pressure marry produce heir boy could marry came age adolescent phase vanished average coming age samuraiclass boy early mids dropped average muromachi period – muromachi period period set within age samurai genpuku gradually spread samurai class include men woman lower rank within less wealthy genpuku used way acknowledging entrance occupational role often form apprenticeship boy farming family artisan class came age age ability adult work take adult social responsibility readiness marriage war result new meaning tied ceremony work solid transition childhood adulthood lost within artisan merchant class adulthood put order youth could acquire new skill related future occupation resulting reemergence period resembling adolescence today’s form japanese coming age ceremony root youth festival held warabi town currently warabi city kitaadachi county saitama prefecture november shortly japan’s defeat world war ii time japan state despair due defeat shojiro takahashi leader youth league warabi town later mayor warabi city hosted youth festival order give hope encouragement young people would bear japan future festival held tent school ground warabi first elementary school currently north warabi elementary school included adulthood ceremony ceremony spread throughout country became present coming age ceremony warabi city still called adulthood ceremony coming age day city erected monument mark birthplace coming age ceremony warabi castle site park commemorated th anniversary promotion city th anniversary establishment coming age day inspired warabi’s youth festival japanese government promulgated enacted national holiday law held every year january official holiday aimed realise passage youth adulthood celebrate encourage young people embarking adult life january designated coming age day congratulate exhort young people become adult live independently since coming age ceremony held day region japan later revision national holiday law coming age day moved second monday january amendment called happy monday system make long weekend saturday – monday addition according survey conducted around nagoya city morotsuka village higashiusuki district miyazaki prefecture also claim birthplace coming age ceremony japan low birth rate shrinking percentage young people coupled disruption ceremony recent year incident naha drunken japanese youth tried disrupt festivity general increase number yearolds feel adult led decreased attendance ceremony caused concern among older japanese decline continued fifth year row total million adult celebrating holiday – half participant seen peak million adult attended ceremony first time declined threshold japan lowered age adulthood year age took effect change caused confusion status holiday raised concern among kimono industry profit garment worn ceremony coming age ceremony 成人式 seijinshiki mark one ending coming age age maturity reflects expanded right also increased responsibility expected new adult ceremony generally held morning local city office throughout japan young adult turned turn april previous year april current one maintain residency area invited attend government official give speech small present handed newly recognized adult ceremony guest speaker give lecture commemorative gift presented sponsored japanese government municipality independently therefore although schoolage system determines eligibility participation everywhere municipality hold event day coming age day age adulthood lowered april however municipality continue set age eligible participating ceremony others lowered many woman celebrate day wearing furisode style kimono long sleeve hang zōri sandal since unable put kimono due intricacy involved many choose visit beauty salon dress set hair full set formal clothing expensive usually either borrowed relative rented rather bought especially occasion men sometimes also wear traditional dress eg dark kimono hakama nowadays many men wear formal western clothes suit tie often traditional hakama ceremony young adult often celebrate group going party going drinking ceremony often take place city hall school gym special case ceremony held tokyo disneyland since ceremony commonly held coming age day regional variation municipality hold golden week week late april early may japanese holiday follow one another obon day honor one ancestor january – example niigata prefecture city held coming age day january two january others march april may august area high snowfall many young people town come back golden week obon many ceremony canceled postponed due death emperor due corona pandemic initially eligible people participate coming age ceremony birthday day coming age day previous year current year ceremony held january participant must born january year ago january year ago however recently especially since introduction happy monday system schoolage system become common japanese school system grade consists student born april year april subsequent year today legally become adult april previous year march current year eligible participate ceremony new practice caused problem eligibility coming age ceremony based school age born coming age day april must attend ceremony year later peer consequently find fewer friend celebrate ceremony due happy monday system people still year old coming age ceremony year would become year old ceremony following year example shown january calendar person born second monday january still year old coming age day january person became year old day problem occurred born january – january – additionally sapporo city hokkaido hiroshima city hiroshima prefecture calendar year system used reached th birthday january december past year eligible participate coming age ceremony system switched schoolage system since however half new adult working youth already entered society however since number student entering university vocational school increased number junior high school high school graduate finding employment decreased consequently ratio student rather working youth new adult increasing year year statistic bureau ministry internal affair communication estimated population new adult january million percentage comparison total population consecutive year participation people country technical intern trainee international student also increasing shiogama city miyagi prefecture sent invitation indonesian vietnamese english easy japanese city foreignborn participant total participating adult recent year fewer japanese people worn kimono since many participant wear expensive kimono ceremony kimono industry promote kimono however kimono expensive many participant end renting using handed mother ceremony also good opportunity beauty industry dress make hairdo attendee host makeup workshop begin wearing makeup earnestly sell cosmetic product even photo studio attendee take commemorative picture decorously dressed focus advertising competition customer become zealous related business harenohi company sell furisode longsleeved kimono yokohama city abruptly shut business january coming age ceremony day incident caused uproar made reservation purchase rent furisode company unable wear cancel participation ceremony according public opinion survey conducted yokohama city board education march among minor new adult people approximately viewed coming age ceremony event like reunion friend meet furthermore woman younger responded ceremony event new adult meet formal suit festive clothes result suggests event’s purpose target group’s expectation divergent survey high school student minor said wanted participate ceremony said among high school student minor common reason participating “not interested content” high school student minor new adult answered attraction concert singer necessary half also answered introduction guest mayor politician unnecessary yokohama city’s proposal determines component make ceremony lengthy impoverish content risshishiki 立志式 ceremony held school student turned year age literally establishing aspiration ceremony child stand front school declare goal future guan li chinese comingof age ceremony secular comingofage ceremony premodern japan age etc corresponded roughly modern japanese western age etc average age genpuku therefore premodern japanese reckoning modern reckoning tale genji – contains description genpuku aristocratic heian period