It's January 14, 2008 and it's Coming-of-Age Day  (成人の日 - Seijin no hi)　here in the land of the rising sun.  The official explanation of this day is: The Coming of Age festival is celebrated on the second Monday of January (until 1999, it was always celebrated on January 15). All young people who turn twenty years old in that year are celebrated on Seijin no hi. Twenty is the age considered as the beginning of adulthood. It is also the minimum legal age for voting, drinking, and smoking.

Celebrations are held nationwide in every town with most of the people turning 20 participating in formal dresses. Seijin no hi is a national holiday.

In 1999, Seijin no hi became a part of the government's Happy Monday holiday scheme, which they claimed was to help eleviate doom and gloom after the economic bubble burst. Well...maybe that's partially true. More Monday holidays means more shopping days. There was also another positive turn of events. In the past, young people from rural hometowns had to celebrate this day on New Years Day because they couldn't return home. Now they can.

What happens during the ceremonies? Usually local officials (mayors and sometimes governors) give speeches and give gifts to welcome the newest crop of adults. They generally look especially cute in their Kimonos (females) and Haori Hakama (males).

We are often reminded though that age truly is only a number. For some of them (hooligans), this day celebrates their legal right to drink, smoke and vomit. Some even make fools of themselves on national televison by heckling the speakers.  I suspect most organizers pray that the unruly child-like creatures stay home.

One of my favorite songs in the entire world is Shirushi (Proof) by Mr. Children. It is one of the best songs ever written. Sakurai Kazutoshi is a genius songwriter and musician. This song touches me on a level I didn't think even existed inside me. The first time I head it, all the feelings I had for my beloved husband bubbled to the surface. Mere words cannot express how much I love this man and I never the believed the words existed. They do. It makes no difference that ours is not the story of Shirushi...it only matters that the same intense love is there.

Thank the gods for Atom. I don't know who he is or where he is, but he truly understands Sakurai and the complexity of love. His is the most beautiful and most poignant English version of this song I've ever heard. It isn't as deep or as rich as Sakurai's original version,  but it's damned close.  Thank you, Atom.

The last song to touch me, literally make me sob,  was Mahalia Jackson singing Troubles of  the World in Imitation of Life. I have never watched her sing this with anyone else in the room because I can't bear anyone seeing me as a sobbing mess.

If you wish to give Mr. Sakurai a try, click on the media. The translation and Karaoke are behind the cut.