Coming of age ceremony!

2009-01-09T11:09:00.017+09:00

Do you know the coming of age ceremony in Japan?

　In Japan, children are considered adults on their 20th Birthday.
From that day on they are invested with all the right as citizen, beginning with the right to vote. Drinking and smoking are also approved from this age.
Municipal Governments host special coming-of-age ceremonies for 20-year-olds and the participants dress up in their finest clothes for this ceremony.
It is the custom for 20-year-old woman to wear *a long-sleeved *kimono on this ceremony day.

Kimono* (きもの）
Kimono is Japan's ethnic costume.
While everyday wear is now western clothing, seeing people in kimono walking on the streets was a normal sight until the 1920's-1930's.

Long-sleeved kimono* （ふりそで）
Furisode is the most gorgeous form of Kimono named after its long swinging sleeves.
It is the most formal Kimono for unmarried women.
Classified into three types by the length of its sleeves, they are called as "Oh- Furisode"(Big Furisode), "Chu-Furisode"(middle Furisode) and "Ko-Furisode"(small Furisode).
The status is based on "the longer the higher" basis.
Some decades ago, brides wore black-based Oh-Furisode as their wedding dresses, yet they wear colored Oh-Furisode in today's wedding ceremony.
Furisode is usually made of those valued materials such as Rinzu (damasked glossy silk material) or Chirimen(crepe) material and designed in "Eba" composition which is the patterns spread over panels as if it were a big painting when displayed.

　　 This is a long sleeved kimono （ふりそで）　↓

On the other hand, Most of men wear the suit like this.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　↓　　　　　↓

Some of men wear the *Hakama like this. ↓

The second Monday of January is "成人の日" (Coming-of-age Day) in Japan.
It was established as a national holiday in 1948.

People celebrate this day to welcome the young men and women, who have turned or will turn the age of 20 during the current year, as new members of society!! Ceremonies are held in every city, town and village.

The day differs from each area now.

So, I participated with the ceremony on January 3rd in my hometown. My hometown is しずおか. Do you know the shizuoka prefecture in Japan?
This is the pictures that I was took!

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　(2009 静岡成人式）

We could meet my friends in junior high schooldays and high school days after a long separation. In other words, 20-year-old people looking forward to seeing their friends!

Does your country have ceremony like a coming of age ceremony in Japan?

さーお

Coming of age ceremony!