Coming of Age Day in Japan (Seijin no Hi): Customs and Phrases

Coming of Age Day in four phrases

Seijin (成人) means adult, literally a person who has become complete, and seijinshiki (成人式) is the coming-of-age ceremony. Hatachi (二十歳) is the special word for twenty years old; you will rarely hear nijussai about this age. These four lines are what you will hear and say all through the week of the holiday.

18 or 20? What changed in 2022

In April 2022 a change to Japan's Civil Code lowered the age of adulthood from 20 to 18. Eighteen-year-olds can now sign contracts such as a phone plan or a flat lease without a parent's consent. The voting age had already been lowered to 18 in 2016. Drinking and smoking, however, are still allowed only from 20.

The ceremonies are run by local governments, and each one decided for itself. Many chose to keep inviting people in the year they turn 20, partly because many 18-year-olds are busy with university entrance exams in January. Some renamed the event hatachi no tsudoi (二十歳のつどい) or something similar. So if you ask a Japanese friend about it, expect an answer that depends on their town.

Furisode, hakama and the ceremony itself

A furisode (振袖), literally swinging sleeves, is the most formal kimono for unmarried women, with sleeves that hang far below the wrists. Families rent one, buy one or hand one down from a mother or aunt, and dressing and hair appointments can start before dawn on the day. Many people take studio photos months earlier.

Most men wear a dark suit. Some wear a black crested kimono with striped hakama, and a few choose brightly coloured hakama for fun. The ceremony itself is usually short: speeches by the mayor and guests, sometimes a pledge read by a new adult, then photos outside. For many people the real event is meeting old school friends afterwards at a reunion, a dōsōkai (同窓会), that can go on late into the night.

How to congratulate a new adult

The register depends on who you are talking to. A friend or younger relative gets the casual form. A colleague's son or daughter, or a client's family, gets the polite form with the honorific prefix go. To the parents, you congratulate them on their child.

Avoid joking that someone can finally drink, especially in front of their parents. Mō otona da ne is affectionate from an older relative or neighbour; between equals, keep it playful.

In a message or card, add a wish for the future. Subarashii mirai ni naru yō ni, wishing you a wonderful future, or korekara mo ganbatte ne, keep up the good work, are common closing lines. Relatives sometimes give a gift of money or a small present, but customs vary by family, so follow what others around you do.

Talking about becoming an adult

Coming of Age Day is a natural moment for real conversation: what changes when you become an adult, what you want to do and what you used to think adults were like. Three grammar patterns carry most of it. Otona ni natte means since becoming an adult. ~ yō ni natta means you have become able to do something. ~ tai to omoimasu softens a wish into a plan.

Asking an older person what they were like at twenty is a lovely way to keep the conversation going. Most people enjoy remembering, and it gives you practice with the past continuous, ~ te imashita. Expect a modest answer with a laugh, such as nani mo kangaete inakatta, I was not thinking about anything.

Mini dialogue: a coworker's daughter

Common learner mistakes

• Saying nijussai for twenty. It is correct, but hatachi is what people actually say about this age.
• Assuming everyone celebrated at 18 after 2022. Ask instead: anata no machi de wa nansai deshita ka, how old were people in your town?
• Calling a furisode a yukata. A yukata is a light cotton summer robe; a furisode is formal silk wear.
• Writing just omedetō gozaimasu in a message when it is unclear what you mean. Name the occasion: goseijin omedetō gozaimasu.
• Bringing up the rowdy ceremonies sometimes shown on TV. They are a small minority, and mentioning them can sound like criticism.