Topic Reading-Vol.2838-1/18/2020

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Topic Reading-Vol.2838-1/18/2020

英語で世界を知ろう!Topic Reading

2020/01/18 Topic Reading-Vol.2838-1/18/2020

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Colorful kimonos at Japan’s Coming of Age Day

Japanese women, especially the young, don’t usually wear kimonos any longer. But only once in a lifetime, many of them do on the second Monday of January in the year they turn 20. The day is called Coming of Age Day. This national holiday is all about welcoming the country’s youth into adulthood, whether they are students or workers. In Japan, youth are officially considered adults at the age of 20 and allowed to drink, smoke, and gamble legally. The legal voting age, however, was lowered to 18 in 2015.

On this day, the newly recognized adults attend municipal ceremonies, pray at shrines, and enjoy gathering with their old friends of the same age. Many young women prefer to wear a colorful long-sleeved Kimono on this day. Since they usually wear this expensive and decorative, but not practical kimono only on this special occasion, most of them rent one from specialty shops. Also, they go to beauty salons to be dressed the kimono and have their hair done in a special way for the kimono. So, if you want to see Japanese women wearing kimono, visit Japan on the second Monday in January or go to Kyoto to see Maiko dancers any time.

But what about men? Most of them wear a usual suit but some wear a traditional men’s kimono with hakama, neither of which is visually appealing. Some of them have big parties, get drunk, and go wild. They are allowed to drink and smoke, but they are also responsible for what they’ve done. It’s time to learn what adulthood means to them.

Enjoy seeing the photos of Japan’s Coming of Age Day.

https://www.bbc.com/news/in-pictures-51091877

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