Coming of Age Day in Japan

A holiday with a civic purpose

Japan’s National Holidays Act lists Coming of Age Day as a public holiday and sets its purpose as celebrating and encouraging young people becoming adults. The law also provides a substitute holiday when a national holiday falls on Sunday: the nearest following day that is not itself a national holiday becomes a holiday.[1]

The holiday was among the nine national holidays established in 1948. It was first set on January 15, then moved to the second Monday in January from 2000 as part of a change intended to create longer weekends and more leisure time.[2]

Older rites and modern ceremonies

Coming of Age Day draws on Japan’s history of adult rites, but it is not simply a continuation of one uniform ancient ceremony. The National Diet Library records a court rite for Crown Prince Obito, later Emperor Shōmu, in 714 as the earliest documented Japanese coming-of-age rite; it also describes genpuku for men and separate rites for women in court society.[3]

Today, local organizations hold coming-of-age ceremonies, commonly called seijin-shiki. The ceremonies welcome participants into adult society and offer encouragement. The Association of Shinto Shrines describes a related visit to a local tutelary shrine, where participants may pledge to take on social responsibilities and contribute to society.[4][5]

Formal clothing is a visible part of many ceremonies. A Japanese government article describes women wearing furisode, a long-sleeved kimono, and men wearing business suits or hōrōhakama. Ceremony venues can differ: some municipalities have held events at theme parks.[5]

Adulthood and who attends

Japan lowered the legal age of adulthood from 20 to 18 on April 1, 2022. However, the law does not require municipalities to hold a ceremony at a particular age or on Coming of Age Day. A government survey page reports that many local governments hold ceremonies around the holiday for people turning 20 during the year.[6][7]

This means the holiday’s national message of adulthood and the age celebrated at a local ceremony are not necessarily the same. People planning to attend should check their municipality’s announcement for the eligible age group, date, registration details, and venue.[6]

What to expect as a visitor

Coming of Age Day is a national holiday, but opening arrangements depend on the institution or business. The Bank of Japan states that its offices close on national holidays. That rule describes the central bank’s offices; travelers should check directly with other banks, public offices, shops, attractions, and transport operators before making plans.[1][8]

Ceremony venues and nearby areas may be busy while local events are taking place. If you want to watch or photograph a ceremony, follow venue guidance and give participants space; event arrangements are set locally.[5][6]