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Young women in brightly colored long-sleeved kimonos and young men in formal suits or traditional hakama and haori gathered on Monday. Yokohama Arena commemorates Coming of Age Day, an annual celebration for those who have turned 20 years old.
These ceremonies are a widely observed public rite of passage in Japan and last less than an hour. Before and after the event, young people gathered near the venue entrance, sidewalks and the nearby train station to say hello to friends they had not seen for a long time. Participants were constantly holding up their smartphones, taking photos of each other and themselves.
Among the many participants wearing black and navy suits, a large number of young people chose traditional hakama pants and haori jackets.
Following the revision of the Civil Code in April 2022, legally speaking, the age of majority in Japan begins at 18 years old. Even so, most local governments continue to hold coming-of-age ceremonies for 20-year-olds.
At Yokohama Stadium, participants stood for the national anthem and then sang the Yokohama city anthem together. Later, many people turned on their mobile phone lights and lit up the hall.
This is a photo gallery curated by AP Photo Editor.
