Coming of Age Ceremonies

Coming of age ceremonies:

Japan: In Japanese culture, they celebrate "Seiiji-no-hi" which means coming of age day. In Japan, the legal age that young adults reach their "adult hood" is when they turn 20. At this age the young adults are able to vote, smoke tobacco, and purchase alcohol. Although these young adults reach this age at different times, the local government holds, "Seiijin-no-hi" to mark their rite of passage. The ceremony is held to promote the young adults to become independent, and self sufficient. Within this ceremony there are usually speeches held, along with other fun activities to keep the younger generation entertained. The clothing warn for these ceremonies are suits by the young men, and a traditional furisode (special type of kimono with extended sleeves and designs) by the young women. 

Hindu Girls in Durban: In Durban, once a young girl has her first menstruation cycle, she is secluded from everyone for a week until her tumeric bathing. A tumeric bathing is one in which the young girl has other women help her bathe. During this time a priest comes to the young girls home to ordain whether or not it was during a good or bad time to when her menstruation cycle started, which will thus determine the good or bad luck she will have. During this period of time, the girl is said to be impure. The final part of this is the ceremony, The Manjal Neerattu Vizha. These functions are normally held at the house of the young girl, and both female and male friends are invited. On this day , the girl wears her first sari, which also indicates that she is young women ready to be married. 

Similarities & Differences: Within both cultures, they both share a coming of age ceremony for a young adult. Both cultures have a big group function to celebrate their transition into adult hood and have specific practices that they partake in. Within the Japanese culture, it seem much more open and the ceremony is for a mass majority of individuals, rather than being closed off like for the Hindu culture, where they are only celebrating one young women. In the Japanese culture, the ceremony is promoting self sufficiency and celebrating the young people, while in the Hindu culture, they are just celebrating a girls passage to women hood, and preparing her for her next step which is marriage. The differences show that the Japanese culture is much more open and promotes self dependence, while the Hindu culture is much more traditional and reserved.