Seijin no Hi

Today was Seijin no Hi (Coming-of-Age day). Japanese must wait until they are 20 before they can legally smoke, drink and vote. City Halls hold special ceremonies today to welcome them to the responsibilities of adulthood. To mark the occasion, many women wear furisode - a special kind of kimono for unmarried women with extra long sleeves and elaborate designs - men usually wear a suit. Until 1876, adulthood began for boys at the age of 15 and 13 for girls. During the Edo Period (1603-1868) girls had their teeth dyed black and boys had their forelocks cut off.
In 2001 there was a lot of controversy at the Kochi ceremony in Shikoku as several of the new adults heckled the governor as he made a speech. The governor shouted "shut up" and told them to leave. They apologised to him a few weeks later!