Older and wiser, maybe

With the latest State of Emergency securely in place, many people are back to working from home and avoiding large gatherings. Activities are being canceled left and right, rescheduled for later dates when the Covid numbers have reduced. The Japanese government has promised immunizations would begin in late February using a hierarchy to determine who gets the shot first.

While many are choosing to stay at home, for some, there are certain milestones that people don’t want to let pass by. The second Monday of January is Seijin-no-ji, or Coming of Age Day in Japan. This national holiday is a celebration of everyone who turned 20 years old during school year (April to March), recognizing the official transition from childhood to adulthood.

In Japan, 20 is the golden age of rights, responsibilities, and liberties. 20 year olds are able to drink alcohol, smoke (cigarettes only, marijuana is still illegal), go to hostess bars, gamble, and drive. It used to be the voting age, but that was lowered in 2015 to 18.

Typically those celebrating the holiday dress up in traditional kimono (although many guys prefer to wear suits these days) and attend ceremonies at the city ward office. Afterwards they head out for a day of fun with friends and family.

I tried to quiz my husband about his Coming of Age Day, but he skipped it. He wasn't interested, much to the chagrin of his parents.

This year most of the ceremonies were either canceled or moved to online. So, I didn’t think we would see any newly-minted adults in kimono when we went to the park. (They tend to head there because it is a good place for photos.) But I didn’t need to worry. We saw several groups of 20 year olds dressed up in traditional finery.

As time goes on and there are fewer and fewer chances to see people dressed up in beautiful traditional clothes, it is nice to see some traditions are holding on, regardless of pandemics.