Girls of Seijin Shiki 2010
Yesterday was the Coming-of-Age holiday in Japan, always held on the second monday of January. All the kids who turned or will turn 20 between April 1st of the previous year and March 31st of the current one celebrate by attending a ceremony and going out with friends. Government officials give speeches, and small presents are handed out to the newly-recognized adults.
Many women celebrate this day by wearing furisode (a style of kimono with long sleeves that drape down) and zōri sandals. Since most are unable to put on a kimono by themselves due to the intricacies involved in putting one on, many choose to visit a beauty salon to dress and to set their hair. A full set of formal clothing is expensive, so it is usually either borrowed from a relative or rented rather than being bought especially for the occasion. Men sometimes also wear traditional dress (e.g. dark kimono with hakama), but nowadays many men wear formal Western clothes such as a suit and tie more often than the traditional hakama.Wikipedia
