In Full Bloom

Today is Coming Of Age Day (or Seijin No Hi) in Japan. When young ladies turn twenty years of age they attend a ceremony at the city hall, after which they might visit a shrine. Many young ladies wear fabulous kimono, make-up and hairstyles on this day. It usually costs upwards ¥350,000 for one day rental of kimono, make-up, hairdressing and a photo shoot, (GBP2,000), so it is not surprising that they would make the most of it by visiting a shrine after the city hall ceremony.

Not surprisingly, most young ladies are quite obliging when it comes to being photographed in all their finery. These two ladies had four men, besides myself, waiting to photograph them.