Photos of 20-year-olds at a Coming of Age Day ceremony in Japan

Audio By Carbonatix

YOKOHAMA, Japan (AP) — Young women in brightly colored long-sleeved kimonos and young men in formal and traditional wear celebrated Japan's Coming of Age Day on Monday for people who have turned 20.

Coming of Age Day is a widely observed public rite of passage in Japan. Before and after the brief ceremonies, the young adults greeted friends on sidewalks and nearby train stations. Smartphones were raised repeatedly as they took selfies and photos of each other.

Among the many men wearing black and navy suits, a large number chose traditional hakama trousers and haori jackets.

Adulthood legally begins in Japan at 18 after the Civil Code was revised in 2022. Even so, most local governments continue to hold Coming of Age ceremonies for 20-year-olds.

Inside Yokohama Arena, participants stood for the national anthem, then sang Yokohama’s city song together. Many then switched on the lights of their mobile phones, illuminating the hall.

This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.