This celebration throws everything you thought you knew about Japanese culture out the window.
In Japan, the second Monday of every January is a public holiday called “Seijin no Hi” (“Coming of Age Day“), where new adults who turn 20 (or 18 in some cities) in the year leading up to 1 April attend “Seijinshiki” (“Coming of Age Ceremonies“).
The occasion generally calls for formal attire, with many wearing suits and kimonos, but down in Kitakyushu in Fukuoka Prefecture, the attendees go wild with their outfit choices, taking style inspiration from bosozoku biker gangs and yankee delinquents.
▼ This year’s ceremony, specifically for 20-year-olds, was held at Kitakyushu Messe, just a short walk from JR Kokura Station.
Our reporter Masanuki Sunakoma, who once even donned the outfit of a yankee himself, has been covering the event for 10 years, and for this iteration he headed to the grassy area outside the baggage check entry section, where he found groups of youths broadcasting celebratory calls through loudspeakers, all overseen by volunteers helping to maintain order.
Despite concerns over possible snow, as soon as the invincible new adults gathered at the venue, the sky suddenly cleared and the sun broke through the clouds, just as it did last year.
▼ These guys exude a powerful amount of energy.
Walking through the crowd, the outfits were as wild as ever, but thankfully the tough-guy personas were kept in check. Scenes of drunken mayhem, fistfights, and horseback-riding now appear to be a thing of the past.
▼ These days, the only thing people ride are rickshaws.
With improved safety, the event has now become something of a tourist destination, with foreign tourists taking photos with their smartphones around the venue. The unbridled freedom and creativity in everyone’s appearance created a lively atmosphere that put everyone in a good mood.
▼ Some attendees had the aura of warlords from centuries past.
▼ Shoulders were adorned with fierce beasts like purple dragons…and giant green snakes.
This celebration of turning 20 is an important date on the calendar for longtime friends, becoming a forever memory for many.
▼ From best friends…
▼ …to friend groups…
▼ …and even parental companions…
▼ …everyone was getting into the seijin spirit.
▼ Some friendships crossed fashion borders, with suits and yankees all getting along well together.
As always, a lot of the more outlandish attendees completed their ensembles with fans and banners emblazoned with their names.
▼ Others wore their names on their outfits.
One new adult shone more than the others, making her grand arrival in a bright red stretch limousine.
▼ From the tiara on her head to the tips of her fingernails, every inch of this young lady was adorned in glitz and glamour.
According to the colourful banner that accompanied her, this woman’s name was Nana, and she had a full entourage with her, including men to hold balloons, bouquets of flowers, and a photographer.
Every attendee served up a lewk that showed immense attention to detail, and seeing them all together like this created a powerful , youthful energy that rubbed off on everybody there.
Costumes like this are a rarity in Japan, making it an extra special way for young people to express their post-school individuality before entering the more serious world of work and adulthood.
While new adults in other parts of Japan skew towards more traditional formal wear without the fur and accessories, Kitakyushu’s crowd go all out with wild looks for their celebrations, soaking up every last second of youthful freedom. The outfits are so unique they’ve even been shown at New York fashion week, putting Kitakyushu on the world stage. It’s not every day you get to see Japanese culture like this on display, and that’s all part of its appeal – long may it continue into the future!
Photos © SoraNews24
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