Coming of Age Day (Japan’s National Holidays)
Guideto Japan
Culture Lifestyle History- English
- 日本語
- 简体字
- 繁體字
- Français
- Español
- العربية
- Русский
The second Monday in January is Coming of Age Day, a national holiday dedicated to celebrating and encouraging young people as they enter adulthood.
Welcoming Young People Into Adulthood
On Coming of Age Day, many local governments hold ceremonies to honor those reaching adulthood. Attendees dress in formal attire, such as suits or traditional kimono, and take part in the celebrations. The official ceremony for Urayasu, Chiba, is held each year at Tokyo Disney Resort.
For many years, the legal age of adulthood in Japan was set at 20. However, a revision to the Civil Code lowered the age to 18 as of April 1, 2022. Even so, many municipalities continue to hold coming-of-age ceremonies for those who are 20, in line with long-standing custom.
Under the revised law, turning 18 grants legal adult status, allowing individuals to marry without parental consent and to enter into contracts, such as for mobile phones or loans. At the same time, they also become subject to adult responsibilities, penalties, and other legal obligations. By contrast, in consideration of health risks and other issues, drinking alcohol and smoking remain prohibited until age 20. The purchase of betting tickets for publicly operated gambling, such as horse racing and boat racing, is also restricted to those aged 20 and over.
Since ancient times, coming-of-age rites in Japan were traditionally held around the New Year period in January. Reflecting this custom, the postwar Act on National Holidays originally designated January 15 as Coming of Age Day. A revision to the law in 2000 shifted the holiday to its current date. While most municipalities continue to hold coming-of-age ceremonies in January, areas with heavy snowfall, such as Akita, Yamagata, and Niigata Prefectures, sometimes schedule them during the May holiday period or around the Obon holidays in August, as traveling in formal kimono can be difficult in winter conditions.
Data Sources
- National Holidays (Japanese) from the Cabinet Office.
- Seijin no gishiki (Coming-of-Age Ceremony) (Japanese) from the National Diet Library.
(Translated from Japanese. Banner photo © Pixta.)