Tomorrow is a national holiday in Japan, known as Seijin no Hi

Would probably be something like Coming of Age Day

Basically it's where all the 20 year olds in Japan

celebrate their coming of age, so becoming adults

Today I'm going to be attending a Seijin Shiki

or Coming of Age Ceremony

My friend Jei turned 20 recently, so he will be celebrating becoming an adult

and he was able to participate in a Seijin Shiki today

So I'm gonna take you guys along and document his experience

Everybody who is turning 20 between April 2nd 2015 and April 1st 2016

will attend a ceremony, either today or tomorrow

Most of them happen tomorrow on the actual holiday

But there are a few going on today

So when you turn 20 in Japan, you're officially an adult

You can drink, smoke, go to hostess clubs

What else can you do when you're 20...

You can vote! I think that's basically it

So lots of 20 year olds today will be celebrating

The girls wear very gorgeous kimonos

The guys either wear a suit or hakama

Traditional Seijin Shiki wear would be hakama

Most people would wear a suit these days

We'll see what the guys are gonna be wearing today

Let's go! I hope you guys enjoy this!

Abiko City - Coming of Age Ceremony

How did you get permission to join today?

It was a bit of a mission

My boss had to help me out

So she asked around to many different cities trying to get me permission

Because I'm a foreigner, it's not exactly the easiest to get in

Usually the foreigner is not 20 to start with

If she or he is 20, they've got to have a Japanese residency

Or on their passport saying they're a Japanese citizen

I'm on a working holiday visa so it's pretty tough for me

Are you excited?

I'm excited!

Abiko City, this building here, they've let me join

It'll start soon and I'm looking forward to it!

I've heard it's gonna be some speeches

The local Japanese think it's a little bit boring

But I'm looking forward to that anyways

Get to listen to some more difficult Japanese

Their hair looks really nice

Congratulations!

Thank you!

Are you excited?

I'm excited!

The ceremony will start any minute now

Yeah lots of people are here now!

Any plans for after the ceremony?

After the ceremony I'm gonna get WRECKED

So you're going drinking?

Sure am!

Until morning!

As I expected

Gonna pass out tonight

Inside the Coming of Age Ceremony

Opening statements

Performances

School memories

Messages from teachers

Closing statements

Did you have fun?

Yeah it was fun!

You did it!

How was it?

It was good!

What happened in there?

They introduced all the teachers from all the different elementary schools

and middle schools from in this area

and the teachers were bowing to all the students

On a big screen they put up all the memories, photos, videos

of 1st grade, 2nd grade all the way through

Yeah it was really good

They did a video in the classroom saying "Do you remember me? I was your teacher in 2nd grade!"

"You're all doing so well now, congratulations!"

That sounds fun!

Show me your hairstyles!

Wow it's amazing!!

It looks beautiful

So cute

What time did you wake up today?

I was up at 7!

But some of my friends were up at 4

to prepare their kimonos

Did you style your hair yourself?

No I went to a salon

Ah yeah it looks quite complicated

So cute!

Off to the photo studio for a shoot

Proud Dad

Hey guys! So the ceremony is all finished

and the pictures are all finished

and now we're at the izakaya (bar) to celebrate!

Because now they can drink!

I can drink! I'm an adult again!

The egg roll looks good

Sashimi Yuba

It's the skin off of when you're making tofu I think?

With lime and wasabi

I wanna try that, that looks good

Mikan liqueur

Sounds good

Peach liqueur

Peach doesn't sound so good

Mikan liqueur sounds nice

I forget how to say mikan in English

Mandarin Orange maybe?

Congratulations! Cheers!

Check out Jei's channel for more adventures! Link below!

Subscribe to my channel for more videos of my life in Japan!