成人式

• Reading: せいじんしき
• Romaji: seijin shiki
• Kanji breakdown: 成 (sei/na) — to become, mature; 人 (jin/hito) — person, adult; 式 (shiki) — ceremony, ritual
• Pronunciation: /seː.dʑiɴ.ɕi.ki/

Meaning

Coming-of-age ceremony. The official ceremony held in Japan for young people turning twenty (now eighteen).

Held annually on the second Monday of January (成人の日, Coming-of-Age Day), 成人式 is organised by local municipalities. Participants traditionally wear furisode (振袖) kimono for women and hakama or suits for men. The ceremony marks the transition to adulthood and civic responsibility. The age of adulthood was lowered to 18 in 2022, though many municipalities continue to celebrate at 20.

Examples

1. 来年は成人式なので、振袖を着付けてもらう予約をした。 Next year is my coming-of-age ceremony, so I have made a reservation to have a furisode kimono fitted.
2. 地元の成人式に久しぶりに旧友と再会して懐かしかった。 I ran into old friends at the local coming-of-age ceremony for the first time in ages and felt nostalgic.
3. 成人式の式典で市長が新成人に向けてメッセージを送った。 At the coming-of-age ceremony, the mayor delivered a message to the new adults.

Usage Guide

Context: coming of age, Japanese customs, ceremonies, youth

Tone: celebratory

Origin & History

Compound of 成人 (coming of age, adult) and 式 (ceremony, ritual). The modern form originated after World War II;埼玉県蕨市 is credited with holding the first such ceremony in 1946 to boost morale among postwar youth.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Youth

Social background: Universal