TOKYO - Ceremonies celebrating those turning 20 were held across Japan on January 12th, with events taking place nationwide to mark Coming of Age Day.
In Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, around 35,000 people attended one of the country’s largest coming-of-age ceremonies, often described as a “mammoth” event reflecting the city’s scale. In Osaka, a smaller but symbolic ceremony took place at Abeno Harukas, where 58 participants climbed 1,637 steps from the basement to the 60th floor in what was dubbed the “stairway to adulthood,” wearing sashes bearing their personal aspirations. One participant said the climb made becoming an adult feel real, adding that while there was some anxiety, they hoped to give back and support the next generation as they themselves had been supported. In Urayasu, Chiba Prefecture, the annual Disney-themed coming-of-age ceremony was also held, with characters such as Mickey Mouse appearing to congratulate participants.
Those celebrating this year were born in fiscal 2005, between April 2, 2005, and April 1, 2006. Twenty years ago, then Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi dissolved the House of Representatives to seek public approval for postal privatization, leading to a landslide victory for the Liberal Democratic Party in what became known as the “postal dissolution.” The same year saw a major train derailment on the JR Fukuchiyama Line in Amagasaki, Hyogo Prefecture, that killed 106 drivers and passengers, as well as turmoil in the broadcasting industry when Livedoor, led by Takafumi Horie, aggressively purchased shares in Nippon Broadcasting System. It was also the year Expo 2005 Aichi, Japan, was held.
By the time this generation was around three years old, in July 2008, the iPhone had entered the Japanese market, and many grew up with smartphones as a constant presence, earning them the label of digital natives. When they graduated from junior high school in March 2021, their ceremonies were held during the COVID-19 pandemic. One participant who attended a ceremony in Kitakyushu said it was a joy to finally see everyone’s faces without masks.
Fashion choices at coming-of-age ceremonies are also shifting. According to kimono retailers, around 40% of participants now wear so-called “mama-furi,” furisode kimono inherited from their mothers, with accessories such as obi belts updated to give the traditional garments a more contemporary look. Muted, low-saturation colors are especially popular this year, as they photograph well and allow wearers to choose furisode with a sensibility closer to everyday fashion.
The process of selecting a furisode has even earned its own name, “furi-katsu,” with more than 30% of participants reserving their outfits between one and two years in advance, often starting around high school graduation. Popular patterns and fabrics are claimed early, and securing convenient dressing times has become increasingly difficult. A woman in her 40s from Yokohama, whose daughter attended a ceremony this year, said they chose the furisode in the winter of her daughter’s third year of high school, but even then only an early-morning dressing slot at 5 a.m. was available for a ceremony starting at 10:30 a.m.
According to the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry, the number of new adults born in 2007 who have turned 18 stands at 1.09 million, unchanged from the previous year and the second-lowest figure on record, highlighting Japan’s demographic decline even as communities across the country continue to mark the transition to adulthood with large-scale events, symbolic ceremonies, and evolving traditions.
Source: FNN + Sources
