It is held in order to congratulate and encourage all those who have already reached the age of maturity between April 2 of the previous year and April 1 of the current year, and to help them realise that they have become adults.
On June 13, , the age of maturity was lowered for the first time since it was established. According to the new law, which came into force in , a citizen is considered an adult with the onset of full 18 years.
Note that Coming of Age Day and the ceremony itself are not directly linked to changes in the legal status of young people. For example, adult status becomes effective on the 18th birthday, with some exceptions; both men and women can marry and are released from parental authority.
At the same time, they are released from the various family and social restrictions imposed on minors. As adults, they become eligible for contracting on their own. As before, drinking and smoking are allowed at age 20, and the right to vote and to obtain a driver's license for passenger vehicles begins at age 18 16 for motorcycles. Coming of age ceremonies have been celebrated in Japan since at least CE, during the reign of Empress Genmei when a young prince donned new robes and a hairstyle to mark his passage into adulthood.
Rituals to celebrate adulthood have existed since ancient times, such as Genpuku changing to adult clothing and Fundoshi -iwai loincloth celebration for boys and Mogi dressing up and Keppatsu tying the hair up for girls.
