Hi, everyone~!
I really had a good time talking to some of you on the last week's chat.
I was so happy that Eriko and Yuki finally joined the chat!
Even though we often see each other at our school, it's always fun to talk to my friends!
Anyway...
Today I went to the Kimono store with my parents and my grand mother to do a photo shoot for "Seijin no Hi"(Coming-of-Age day.) "seijin" means adult and "hi" means day in English. Coming-of-Age day is celebrated on the second Monday of January.(So it'll be January 8,2007.) All young people who turn 20 years old in that year are celebrated on Seijin no hi. In Japan, twenty years old is considered as the beginning of adulthood. Also, it's the minimum legal age for voting, drinking, and smoking. So as you can see, 20 years old is the big turning point for Japanese. However, I'm still not sure what it's like to be an adult. I wondered if something would happen on the day I turned 20 years old, but it was just the day which made me think that time passes me by so much faster than I thought! Do you think it's an evidence that shows I'm becoming an adult? Hahaha....
Maybe you think it's early to wear Kimono now, but as Mimaki mentioned on her blog, it's better to take pictures before Coming-of-Age day comes. If you try to take pictures on the day of Seijin no hi, I'm sure you have to wait for long hours. However, my parents told me today that they waited for long hours to take pictures after the ceremony of Coming-of-Age day finished. I was surprised to hear that because just thinking that I have to wear Kimono for long hours makes me exhausted! I'm so glad that times are changing...!! Even though I had to deal with a feeling of tightness when I wore Kimono, wearing Kimono itself was an amazing experience in many ways! Of course I was excited about this, but it was just about wearing Kimono. (Every girl loves wearing beautiful and cute clothes, right?) But after I did wear Kimono, I felt like I was rediscovering the Japanese culture through wearing the traditional clothes. I had to straighten my posture, so it gave me a new perspective for the things that I usually don't try to look at.
I put the rest of the pictures that my father took on bubbleshare. My father suddenly got excited after I got everything done at the dressing room and asked him how I looked. I guess many of you think the Kimono that I chose is unique because many girls tend to choose red and pink. I decided not to wear those Kimonos because I wanted my Kimono to be different! Also, what I wanted to wear was cool one, not cute. After the struggle to choose what to wear(It was really hard to make a decision because every Kimono was beautiful!), I chose the Kimono which was not red or pink. It was challenging to choose this because few people seem to wear this color. But that also means my Kimono definitely will make me stand out at the ceremony next year!^^ Then, What I like about my Kimono is that the color of each long sleeve is different. I also like the pattern of the belt. I'm so glad to be a girl because it's girl's prerogative to wear Kimono, isn't it? Hahaha~!
I just can't wait to wear it again next year!
See you soon~!
P.S
You can see more detail about seijin shiki if you go to this website.
http://web-jpn.org/kidsweb/calendar/january/seijinshiki.html
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4 comments:
Hi there Hiromi
Hajimemashite. I like listening to Mr Children too!
Beautiful photos, Hiromi! I like the kimono you chose. I also like to be different.
By the way, "Hadashi" is the teacher in New Zealand whose class my students are connecting with via their blogs--in case you didn't know and were curious! (His name is William.)
You look so beautiful! Your kimono suits you very much. Were you tired wearing komono?
I haven't taken a picture of kimono yet.
HI Hiromi, I liked your blog! I'm writing about different holidays of the world, and I'm wondering if Coming of Age Day is for people who will turn twenty the coming year, or for people who have turned twenty the previous year.
Great pictures!
How's adulthood?
--Steve
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