My topic for research is Coming of Age Day. I will research who celebrates it and how it is celebrated. This will also include when it is celebrated and any background concerning why it was started and how long it has been going on. If possible, I will see if I can determine why turning twenty is such a milestone in Japanese culture. I will culture surrounding the holiday in order to determine if there have been any significant changes in its observance since it began.
Possible sources for information include:
http://blog.gaijinpot.com/coming-age-day-japan/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coming_of_Age_Day
http://web-japan.org/kidsweb/explore/calendar/january/seijinshiki.html
http://www.yamasa.org/acjs/network/english/newsletter/things_japanese_24.html
There was a student here a couple of years ago who actually participated in Seijinshiki (Coming of Age Day) while doing study abroad. She was thrilled to be able to participate. The preparations were as important for her as the ceremony itself. I think this is a very interesting topic. Thinking about certain "traditions" or "rituals" in an historical context is inherently intriguing. Sara Birnbaum's honors thesis looks at matsuri (festivals) from that kind of perspective. I hope you'll be able to get some good information for your project.
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