Coming of the Age Day is held on January 15^th and is a Japanese holiday, which honors young people who have reached, or who will reach, the age of 20 during the current year. People who have reached this age are subject to adult laws and gain the right to vote in elections, as well as to drink. Twenty is also the age of majority in Japan. Local governments usually have a ceremony known as a seijin shiki, which is an adult ceremony. This ceremony honors the "new adults." The ceremony is generally held in the morning and everyone obtaining residency in the area is invited to attend. Some government officials give speeches and present small gifts that are handed out to the new adults.

Women celebrate the day by wearing furisode kimono. This is the kimono in which portions hang from the sleeves and are long as compared to the kimono with shorter sleeve portions worn by mature, married women. Most young woman cannot put the kimono on herself, so they go to a kimono kitsuke who dresses them. They also get their hair done the day before or the morning of the ceremony by a hair stylist. A Japanese kimono can cost as much as a new car, so many women rent their kimonos because it saves on the cost of buying one. The majority of the men wear business suits or dark colored kimonos are seen at the ceremonies. 

 After the ceremony, the young adults often gather in-groups and go to parties and/or go out drinking. Young women have to wear slippers called zori and they are not used to wearing these slippers you will often find them limping after the evening goes on. Later in the evening it would not be unusual to see wobbly young adults staggering in the trains after a day of celebration.

Other links to the Coming of the Age Day: