Last 10th of January was a holiday in Japan. The day is called “coming-of-age celebration day”. It is the day when people who has just turned to 20 years old celebrate the start of their adulthood. In Japan, when you become 20 years old, you are considered to be an adult. Now you are legally allowed to smoke, drink alcohol, vote, and what is more, you begin to pay tax… oops!
Until 1997, the holiday was fixed on the 15th of January, but in 1998 the law has changed and now it is celebrated on the second Monday of January so that many people can enjoy three consecutive non-working days (i.e. Saturday, Sunday, and the coming-of-age day).
Usually on this day, every community holds a ceremony for the newly become adults.
The ceremony is supposed to be held solemnly, and in most cases it actually is. But as this occasion is a great opportunity to reunite with old school mates, some people get really excited about it. In fact, these days offending acts of some “adults” during or after the ceremony have become some sort of a common scene of the day: shouting, talking on cell phones during the ceremony, getting heavily drunk at the party afterwards etc. The number of these troublemakers are only limited and most of the attendants are perfectly fit for the occasion, but as this type of news is particularly featured by the media and thus often appears on TV, so remains in people’s mind.
I think Japanese people are generally shy and reserved as compared to many other nationals, but the younger generation seems to be getting more and more open and has less hesitation to show their true feelings. Of course, offending acts should not be tolerated, but is it too permissive to think that these are the acts of some younger generations who are more true to their hearts? Y.F.