Japan's seijin no hi festival
This nationwide 'coming of age day' celebration is held each year on the second Monday in January to congratulate those who have reached the nice round number of 20. The tradition goes back well over a thousand years to a time when young princes marked the beginning of their second decade by switching to wearing adult clothes and hairstyles.
Image 1 of 4: Young Japanese women view seijin no hi as their door to freedom from parental constraints. Photo / Ian D Robinson
