Seijin-shiki

Like America,  Japan has holidays of questionable derivation celebrated throughout the year which I presume exist only to give people days off from work and school.  Monday was one such day.  (The last I can recall was the Emperor's birthday and the one before that was "Culture Day."  Don't ask me what distinguishes it from every other day in Japan.)

Today was Coming of Age Day.  It was established "to congratulate and encourage people who have reached the age of majority (20) during the year."  Twenty-year-olds dress up in fancy Kimono or hakama, attend a coming of age ceremony in a local government office, and celebrate afterward with family and friends.  This would be akin to the US giving everyone a day off from school and work to celebrate everyone who turned twenty-one in that year.  "Cities and towns throughout the nation hold ceremonies for these people."  It's kind of like a Bar-Mitzvah, but with sanctioned drinking and "adults" that actually look the part.

(I'm sorry, but the picture of the bare-chested man really did illustrate the hakama pants best.  Traditionally they are in fact worn with a shirt or kimono.)

The best part of this day?  Until recently it was held on January 15.  That is until the year 2000, when Japan instituted the Happy Monday System (yes, that is the actual name) which moved a number of national holidays from their traditional dates to Mondays in order to provide a long holiday weekend.  Seems like someone's been taking notes (See: Martin Luther King Jr. Day, President's Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, et al.).

Kanpai!
Melissa