Coming of Age Day in Japan: An Insider's Tips

This Monday January 10, 2011 will be a National Holiday in Japan. Sejin No Hi (Coming of Age Day) is a big event in Japanese culture. It is to celebrate turning the ripe old age of Twenty !

In Japan 20 year-olds are considered adults. That means they can drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes, sign contracts and vote in elections. It's a big deal so, everybody gets dressed up for the event.

Years ago, boys came of age at 15 and the girls at 13. The boys would get a haircut for the event. And, the girls would paint their teeth BLACK ! 

Well, times have changed for the better, I think. 

Since 1876 the laws have been modified in Japan. You have to be 20 years old to be considered an adult and girls don't wear blackened teeth anymore. They wear pretty kimonos for Coming of Age Day and they don't have to be be so ugly.

The photo above was taken in September of 2008. To give you an idea how serious folks are about preparing for Sejin No Hi, this gal was getting fitted for a kimono months in advance.  The event doesn't take place until the second week of January.

Knowing she was a minor at the time, I couldn't legally take her picture without the consent of her adult, legal guadian.  So, I went over to her mother, sitting in a chair watching her daughter getting all decked out in this kimono.

I spoke to her in the Okinawan dialect and got her laughing.  I told her she had pretty eyes, hah !

Not only did she sign a release, she gave me permission to have the photo published, too. 

So, that's what I did at BootsNall Travel Articles.

You can read more about Coming of Age Day in Japan  in the JAPAN UPDATE if you like.  I have to clean my cameras and practice stretching the truth, a bit,  in Japanese so I can get more photos of pretty young girls in their kimonos !

Is there anything like the Coming of Age Day in Japan in your culture ?

Cherry Blossom (桜) Okinawa, Japan (Photo)

In Okinawa, Japan the Cherry Blossoms (桜) differ in a few ways from those you'd see in the mainland of Japan.  Up there in the north, they don't bloom until the spring thaw warms the earth.

Down in Okinawa our Cherry Blossoms need a good cold snap to get the trees budding. It'll happen, any day, now.

That isn't the only difference between Okinawa and the rest of Japan's Cherry Blossoms, though. When the flowers do bust out all over the mountains they do it differently than what most other Cherry Blossoms do.

The flowers up north open and spread their petals towards the sky. Down south, our Cherry Blossoms do what makes it easier to view them without climbing up a ladder. They hang down like bells. The petals of our Cherry Blossoms face the ground where anybody can see what's inside without having to climb a tree.

OKINAWA'S CHERRY BLOSSOMS (桜) PRACTICE GOOD OLD SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY !

This photo was taken JAN 2010. Another from JAN 2009 is PHOTO OF THE DAY on my website homepage until this time tomorrow but, always available in the photo gallery if you missed it.

RELATED POST:  MT. YADAKE CHERRYBLOSSOM FESTIVAL

Bridge to Nowhere in Kunigami Okinawa (Travel Photo Thursday)

Here is a wooden bridge located in the mountains of the Kunigami area of Okinawa. This place is special to me so, the only way you'll find it would be to have me show you the location.

I'm not sure how we'd manage, though. I hate driving and it's about a three day walk from my house. We could make arrangements to go there, together. I know the way.

Can you drive a car blindfolded ?

This is my contribution to Budget Travelers Sandbox for TRAVEL PHOTO THURSDAY


The Bridge to Nowhere was originally published in an article at APOGEE PHOTO MAGAZINE.

If you have an interesting photo from anywhere on earth, or even outer space, post it on your blog and make a link to Budget Travelers Sandbox for everyone to see. We're all travelers, aren't we ?

Wildlife Photo (Bird) Mejiro in Cherryblossoms (桜) and Some Lindsay Lohan Stuff

The Japanese White Eye (Zosterops japonicus) is called a Mejiro, in Japanese. They are fast flying little birds that feed on insects but have a thing for sweet nectar, as well.  I'd have used the term "sweet tooth" but even Lindsay Lohan knows birds don't have teeth, I reckon, anyway.

Back to the birds who fly: The Mejiro really do flit and fly around too fast to catch a good shot with a camera, most of the time. But, when the cherryblossoms (桜) bloom they just can't resist them. And they'll slow down or stop for just enough time to focus on them and you can take a quick portrait.

Once the cherryblossoms are gone, for some reason, you have a hard time catching these birds.  I'm not sure if there's some kind of alcohol or drugs in the blossoms that make the birds act that way. Maybe we should ask Lindsay Lohan, she may know. Anybody seen her lately?

Birding, Birdwatching and a Brand New Bird Site

There's a brand new site for all people who like birds and I almost forgot to tell everybody about it. This one's a gem!

The guy who started it, I'll let him tell you about himself, if he wants to. All I can say is I've known his family for many years and I can guarantee he's an upright citizen. I first met him years ago right here in Okinawa, Japan. He was just a little guy back in the last century. He's grown up since then.

Probably, I wouldn't bet any money on myself if I had to arm wrestle the guy. Anyway, I hope he doesn't get too upset over me snagging the logo off his website to show you, because I plan on using it to get more members, from around the globe, to sign-up and check out this new bird site.


WHY NOT?  EVERYTHING IS FREE, FREE, FREE !!!


There are several Bird or Birding organizations I am a member of because I happen to enjoy wildlife photography. Some even list me as a photographer for their organizations. That's cool but, I'm not really what I consider to be a Birder. Those people are really into birds. Me, I just shoot birds (with a camera) because they happen to be where I am at the time. If there are no birds around when I'm out, I'll shoot bugs, snakes, butterflies, wild dogs, pigs, dragonflies, bees, fish and even pink elephants if they show up. If it's a wild critter I want a picture of it in the wild.

Well, I got an invite to join this Birder's Network a few weeks ago and was kind of surprised. The Grand Opening is today January 5th, 2011 and they started signing members up back in late November. There's already people from Canada, Colombia, Hungary, India, Japan, UK, USA, Venezuela and Uruguay in there. I think there's enough room to fill up pages with folks from every country in the world. So, thats what I want to help them try to do; fill the place up.

So, if you like birds, even if you're not a birder or bird watcher, just want to look at birds pictures or find out what they sound like, what they eat, where they go when they migrate, how they mate or what kind of bird dropped something on your windshield this is the site for you.

On the other hand, if you really are are birder and want to contribute your expertise to help the uneducated masses (another crowd I belong to) you are cordially invited. There are already several, real professional birders on the site but, there's always room for more.

From what little time I've spent on the Birder's Network I can tell you this: It's real easy to navigate and there are plenty of excellent resources available on the site. For a brand new bird site, I'm amazed at what's been posted so far. There are more than ample links to well-established bird organizations that I've used in the past to help me identify some birds that had me stumped. And, there are links to sites I've never heard of before but, will be using in the future.

Go have a look at birdersnetwork.com and you'll find one Michael R Lynch there, that'd be me. You can tell them RyukyuMike sent you but, don't mention the logo I borrowed, OK?