On January 17, 2026, the Embassy of Japan in Washington, D.C. held the second Seijin-shiki (Coming of Age Ceremony) at the historic Japanese Ambassador’s Old Residence, providing a unique and inspiring experience for students studying Japanese in the D.C. area.
The ceremony offered George Washington students a chance to meet fellow Japanese learners from American University, Georgetown University, and Howard University, as well as opportunities to converse with Japanese diplomats, including Public Affairs Minister Masatsugu Odaira and other key embassy personnel.
The roots of Japan’s Seijin-shiki, held in honor of young adults who have reached the age of 20, reach back more than a millennium to a coming-of-age ceremony known as Genpuku (Assumption of the Trousers), which was practiced by the Japanese nobility beginning in the eighth century. While the current-day Seijin-shiki is a thoroughly modern celebration, it shares with its aristocratic predecessor a keen focus on auspicious attire: stylish business suits or hakama (traditional trousers) for young men, and elegant furisode (kimono) for young women.
The Embassy of Japan has graciously adapted the Seijin-shiki ceremony for students of Japanese language and culture in the United States, and this event featured speeches from Japanese diplomats, American and Japanese educators, and college students from the Washington D.C. area. Dr. Brendan Morley, Japanese Program Coordinator and Assistant Professor of Japanese at George Washington, shared reflections on the connection between lifelong learning and the personal growth embodied in the seijin – the matured person. In Confucian thought, learning is an ongoing endeavor, and what characterizes a seijin is the ability to draw upon the knowledge one has gained and one’s moral self-cultivation to respond effectively to changed circumstances.
For Mr. Khoi Khong (CCAS; Chemistry, Japanese, ’26), the Seijin-shiki ceremony offered a chance to reflect on the transition between adolescence and independent adulthood: “The theme that maturing is a continuous process was particularly inspiring for me, someone who is now at a loss as to what to make of myself after graduation. Currently, I’m in the limbo where I’m waiting for medical school decisions.” Mr. Khong was also able to converse with a Japanese diplomat who had served in Japan’s embassy in Vietnam before being posted to Washington. Meeting with these professionals gave GW students an invaluable window into the lives of career diplomats.
For Mr. Nicholas Slobodchikoff (CCAS; Economics, Japanese, ‘27), the chance to meet peers from other universities who are pursuing Japanese language and cultural studies was especially memorable: “Speaking with these other students made me realize that everyone has their own path in learning the Japanese language… I was able to take away that this is only the start of a journey, and even as the years pass, we each have our own timeline that is amazing precisely because our journey is incomparable to anyone else’s. I would recommend that anyone who is interested should participate in the Seijin-shiki, as what you may acquire from the event might remain with you for the rest of your life.”
Arik Karim (ESIA ’28, pictured right) was this year’s keynote speaker from George Washington University. A second-year student who turns 20 this June and aspires to a career in diplomacy, he reflected upon his journey studying Japanese language and culture: “While Japanese has helped shape what I hope to do in the future – be a professional diplomat and engage in public service – it has mattered even more in shaping who I am becoming: it has encouraged me to value humility, patience, and discipline, and to actively practice these virtues in my daily life.” Mr. Karim observed that for him, the Seijin-shiki ceremony captures the essence of the Japanese proverb ichigo-ichie, which means that every new encounter in life brings new and unique opportunities.
The event also gave students the chance to wear traditional Japanese clothing, such as the aforementioned furisode (pictured left) and hakama, which underscored the propitious nature of the event while conveying the timeless beauty of Japan’s material culture. The Seijin-shiki ceremony provided an enriching and memorable opportunity for U.S. students studying Japanese to immerse themselves in the cultural traditions of Japan. The celebration of adulthood, the opportunity to don traditional attire, and the chance to connect with fellow students, professors, and embassy officials made the event a truly unforgettable experience.