成人式 Coming of Age Day

Tomorrow Seijin no Hi or "Coming of Age Day" in Japan. It is a celebration for all the youth who had turned twenty in the previous year. They return to their hometown and celebrate with their junior high school peers. In all actuality, the occasion is like a large class reunion since the young adults' former 6th grade elementary school teachers and 3rd grade junior high school teachers are also invited to attend. My vice principal's younger daughter's ceremony was today and so she invited me to come along. Other than the twenty-year-olds, there were only a few mothers and a group of public officials in attendance. Needless to say, I stuck-out. Come to find out, the ceremony really isn't open to lots of people and my vice principal had to get special permission for me to attend. Below are some pictures I snapped. The girls' kimono, known as furisode, are the most formal style since they have long sleeves. They are made from silk, have multiple layers and require a professional dresser to put them on. A nice rental one can cost anywhere from $1000 up so one can only imagine what a new one would cost! Most of the boys wore suits and ties though a few wore hakama the traditional Japanese male dress wear.

The guy in the middle of the picture is wearing a hakama. Like a kimono on top, it has billowy pants on the bottom
The people wearing "western-styled" wear are some of the students former teachers

A close up of some of the gorgeous kimonos and fancy hairstyles

My vice principal and her daughter.

They both have really nice smiles, I guess just not for cameras!