Gaa! [coming of age day '09] 成人の日 (asakusa, japan)

Posted by timothy sullivan (Tokyo, Japan) on 12 January 2009 in Lifestyle & Culture.

Around January 12 of each year, Japanese celebrate "Seijin-no-hi", or "Coming of age day": when, at age 20, people at long last become legal adults. Most people celebrate the occasion by donning elaborate special kimono, going to a ceremony at a town hall, listen to a few speakers--and then go out with friends and/or family. Many people also end up buying cigarettes legally for the first time and then going to an izakaya (pub) and getting completely plastered.
...Some "traditions" among cultures really aren't so different, hey?

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Comments (11)

Amirhossein Barkhordari from Tehran, Iran

nice case , I enjoyed reading the caption .. I think the nations got to get closer and more aware of each others cultures ... here's the first Japanese photo blog I've ever visited ...

12 Jan 2009 10:36am

@Amirhossein Barkhordari: i can't agree with you more, Amirhossein; it's my conviction that the more cultures each culture on earth is able to see--and the more people representing the wide variety and assortment of sentiment and viewpoints inherent within each culture, i think each society would realize that things like hatred and war are really stupid.
i'm an American; the moment i admit that, most people say, "but you don't act like an American." to which i reply, "well, not everyone in a society is the same."
i wish more people came to that very same conclusion; perhaps we can, through things like the Internet and "daily life" photography. and through dialog such as this. :-)

Japanalia from Yokohama, Japan

The one on the left makes a "statement"...cigarette in hand while wearing kimono! But the capture is good, very representative for present day Japan!

12 Jan 2009 11:22am

Eleftheria from Athens, Greece

Nice!

12 Jan 2009 1:21pm

bluechameleon from Vancouver, Canada

What a fun shot! Kudos!

12 Jan 2009 3:03pm

Steve Rice from Olympia, United States

A nice candid portrait.

12 Jan 2009 5:07pm

ordinaryimages from Kentucky Bluegrass, United States

Some behaviors are universal : ]

12 Jan 2009 5:28pm

Amirhossein Barkhordari from Tehran, Iran

I couldn't get the whole story out of your response .. the flower in this post : http://cariran.aminus3.com/image/2009-01-11.html you asked for the name is a kind of ROSE which is called "7 colored ROSE" ....

12 Jan 2009 6:27pm

mo.langel from Courtelary, Switzerland

Sympathique ta photo! j'ai envie de leur faire un bye de derrière mon écran!:O)

12 Jan 2009 6:42pm

Richard_Irwin from Belper, United Kingdom

Interesting shot and info, here the voting age is 18, but kids can marry and have their own family at 16, drive cars at 17, and most get plastered every weekend in pubs at 14 (though the legal age to drink is 18).

Nice work

12 Jan 2009 7:40pm

Taylor from Charlotte, United States

Fun photo - great slice of life and a fabulous portrait!

13 Jan 2009 1:02am

Damon Schreiber from Toronto, Canada

Nice one - there's something kind of hilarious about they way they carry themselves, not nearly as classy as kimono would seem to dictate. They look all ready for a bit of debauchery.

13 Jan 2009 5:01am

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