Coming of Age in Japan
Yesterday, people turning 20 this year gathered at events across Japan to mark Coming of Age Day. However, some youths were too busy to take part in the festivities, as this from TBS news shows:
The first example shown in the video is of a woman working at a maid cafe in Akihabara. Although she is turning 20 this year, she considers herself “forever 17.”
The next example shows a female pro-wrestler who took part in a grueling match on Monday. She says that she sometimes wishes she lived a normal life and could celebrate Coming of Age Day in a normal way, but she likes being a pro-wrestler.
The last example is of a young soldier at a Self-Defense Forces base. He says he does not mind missing out on the Coming of Age Day celebrations because he is busy doing work that he enjoys.
Update: For more views of Coming of Age day 2009, check out the great posts at Danny Choo and Tokyo Times.
- Akihabara News – Gadgetry from Japan (Subscribe)
- dannychoo.com – Your portal to Japan (Subscribe)
- Kirainet.com – A geek in Japan (Subscribe)
