If you are in Japan, and one of your ulterior motives is to take pictures of the scenery and hopefully capture some uniquely Japanese moments, Coming of Age Day is a great day to be in Japan.
Coming of Age Day, called Seijin no Hi in Japanese, is the day that newly turned twenty-year olds are officially welcomed into adulthood. Kids dress up, usually in winter kimonos or suits, although there are no rules about clothing. The day usually starts at the local ward office, city hall, or other gathering place where the mayor or another town official welcomes the new adults into society.
There have famously been some incidences of violence or other vandalism, as well as twenty year olds, finally legally allowed to drink, showing up at the events drunk and making a ruckus. For the most part however, it’s a fun time for all the new adults who take the opportunity to meet up with old friends, have reunions, and go out club and bar hopping in the evening.
For photographers it can be a great day to get shots of young Japanese men and women dressed in traditional Japanese clothing. It’s important to note that it’s illegal to take photos of people without their permission, so it’s best to ask. On Coming of Age day, however, most of the girls have had their hair and nails professionally done, and are wearing their best clothing so in most cases they will be more than happy to pose for you. A lot of the young men may be a little drunk or busy trying to get attention from the young women around them, but I’m sure many would agree to being photographed in their finery.
My only warning to photographers would be not to seem too creepy. There will be security on duty in most of the gathering places in the morning, and there are often stories in the news of older men with super telephoto lenses accused of being a public nuisance and invading the privacy of some of the new adults.
The holiday falls on the second Monday in January every year. Coming of Age Day in 2010 falls on Monday, January 11th. It is a national holiday so expect crowds, but also expect the night spots to be lively, and traditional Japanese clothing or other formal clothing to abound. It’s also one of the few days you’ll see so many people walking around in geta, or the traditional wooden raised sandals worn for centuries in Japan.