Young men dressed in kimonos celebrate turning 20 at Nakano Sun Plaza’s Seiji No Hi coming of age ceremony. Overheard, 「お大人になちゃった。」Roughly translated, it means, “Oh shit, we’ve become adults.” As usual, the heavily inebriated youth were extremely friendly to the lone foreign lurker. Congratulations, everyone, and good luck!
The mayor of Aso City stuns 20 year olds at Coming of Age Day (Seiji no Hi) by singing and pantomiming a hit from AKB48, the 4 dozen popular faux school girls who are Japan’s most popular band and advertising monster. The mayor’s singing and emoting strike a stern warning to the young things to never become adults. Poor 20 year olds of Aso City! (Source: Neojapanisme)
I had a much better time greeting and mingling with the 20 year olds celebrating today outside Nakano Sun Plaza. The girls were a riot of faux rabbit and pink/orange/red kimonos and complicated updoes. Many of the boys fried their hair and en-bigg-ed it, paired with shiny suits evocative of men’s host clubs and mid-tier salary men and occasionally traditional men’s kimonos, one in shocking pink. More pix soon. Here’s last years’ photos!
I also met a very handsome Korean photographer, and realized I wasn’t the only one who came to gawk!
Update: The performance is already on YouTube. It begins with an absurd dance routine and ends with a long, chorus-less song in tribute to the “country of the sun.” Best part is that, in honor of the Emperor and Empress, all 14 members forsook their trademark sunglasses.
I think the average host or country yankii looks better than these 14 guys. What do you think?
Today Japanese hip hop dance band EXILE will perform in the official celebration of the Emperor’s 20th anniversary of assuming the throne. 天皇陛下、おめでとうございます。
Tokyo Moe 