On January 13, 2014, 20-year-old young men and women across Japan celebrated this year’s Coming of Age Day.
Early in the morning, Amamiya Shiori came to the Nogizaka Building in Minato City to prepare for makeup and changing clothes.
A total of six people from Nogizaka participated this time, namely Amamiya Shiori, Akimoto Manatsu, Saito Yuri, Takayama Kazumi, Ito Karin and Nishikawa Nanami. Among them, Ito Karin and Nishikawa Nanami are second-generation students who have not yet become full-time students.
The stylist helped everyone take care of their hair and put on makeup. Professionals help everyone put on kimono.
Amamiya Sugawara is wearing a white-bottomed furisode with pink thin edges at the neckline and white pearls. The fabric is dotted with various patterns of cherry blossoms, mainly pink. It is not as solemn and old-fashioned as the black furisode, nor as rich and powerful as the bright red furisode. It is paired with a light blush and cherry pink lip gloss. The whole person looks rosy and bright.
After Amamiya Shiori finished dressing up, she sent a selfie to Shiraishi Mai. Shiraishi has a horse racing show to record today, so it’s a pity that he can’t come.
After a while, Shiraishi replied with the emoticon "mua! (*╯3╰)" and a photo of himself taken at the Tokyo Racecourse. There were already many young men and women in kimonos sitting in the stands. Like drinking, betting on horses is something only adults can do.
"So cute~~" Walking out of the dressing room amidst the exclamations of the girls, Amamiya Shiori turned around and showed off his outfit to them. She is really beautiful, but she is really not used to having her hands and feet restrained when walking.
The girls took off their private clothes one after another and walked into the dressing room. After a while, another beauty in kimono came out.
Akimoto Manatsu is wearing a pink kimono with a peony pattern that symbolizes happiness and wealth. Kari Ito’s pink and green kimono is dotted with lilies, which symbolize purity and elegance. The kimonos worn by Saito Yuri, Takayama Kazumi and Nishikawa Nanami are more formal with complicated patterns. Amamiya Sori doesn't know the types of kimono patterns well and can't name them.
Everyone was having fun, you touched me, I touched you, and we took many photos together.
Afterwards, the six people, wearing furisode and geta and having limited mobility, took a bus to a nearby shrine.
This year's adult-style worship event, Yoshio Konno did not come, and only sent Yui Nango to accompany him.
However, there are many more reporters and onlookers this year than last year. Nogizaka has gradually gained a reputation, and more and more media and fans are paying attention to Nogizaka members.
In front of the white torii gate, the girls first bowed and saluted, then walked through the torii gate and along the side of the shrine, smiling and nodding to the people around them.
The priest wearing white hunting clothes has been waiting in front of the torii gate for a long time.
The media's cameras and those of the onlookers' cameras kept flashing.
The girls were led by the priest to get the white-feathered arrows, then returned to the shrine and began to answer reporters' questions. Ambition as an adult, who you want to be, and what is the first thing you want to do as an adult are all questions of this type.
It's not like I'm here for a coming-of-age ceremony, but more like I'm here for a press conference.
After answering reporters’ questions, the worship ceremony officially ended.
After the coming-of-age ceremony is over, most people will return to their hometown or the area where they live to participate in the coming-of-age commemorative rally organized by the local government. Schools, companies and other institutions will also hold corresponding symposiums and tea parties. However, with the development of the times, in recent years, going to amusement parks, racetracks and other entertainment venues to celebrate adult ceremonies has become the choice of many people.
Amamiya Shiori now lives in Minato City, but it is impossible for her to attend the tea party of some "Minato City ladies". So after attending the "press conference" at the shrine, Amamiya Sori didn't know where to go.
The other five people had already taken their cars home to attend the commemorative rally. Teacher Takeda led Amamiya Sori, who had nowhere to go, back to the Hongo campus of Tokyo University.
There are also adult days on campus.
Professors and some outstanding students, such as the grade chief, the school's sports stars, etc., gave speeches in the auditorium. The content of the speech was nothing more than that you are the future balabala of Japan. We want to become the pillars of society and the elite balabala in all walks of life.
Obviously very boring.
After listening to the speech, Amamiya Shiori and Mr. Takeda spent the entire morning wandering around the campus and taking photos.
Kimonos are rented and are usually returned in the afternoon on adult days. In order to facilitate the operation of members who live out of town (such as Takayama Kazumi who was born in Minamiboso City, Chiba Prefecture), we rented it for an extra day. So Amamiya Shiori can wear this kimono all day long.
A high school classmate made an appointment for a party, but Amamiya Soi was not interested in attending either. First of all, Amamiya Shiori has been in society for a long time. Most of her high school classmates are still living a carefree bachelor's degree (undergraduate) life. Amamiya has nothing in common with them. Second, Amamiya Soi is not familiar with most of her classmates. She does not participate in club activities and goes to work after school. She only has a good relationship with a few female classmates in the class. After becoming an idol, this interpersonal relationship was gradually broken.
Takeda Reiko truly regarded Amamiya Shiori as her daughter. She took her to a reserved high-end restaurant for dinner at noon, took her to Disneyland to participate in adult activities in the afternoon, and even gave her a Chanel bag. A small chain belt bag costs 4 to 50,000 yen. Even Amamiya Shiori, who has never been interested in designer bags, had no choice but to show that she was very happy and kissed her "adoptive mother" on the cheek.
Amamiya Shiori is lucky to have a guardian like Takeda Reiko. Teacher Takeda's daughter has been studying abroad all year round. Perhaps in order to express her maternal love, which she had nowhere to express, she chose to become a social welfare worker and became Amamiya Shiori's guardian.
No matter what, I have been under her care these past few years.
After Amamiya Shiori becomes an adult, she no longer needs a guardian. In theory, this relationship is about to end. But Takeda is Amamiya Shiori’s benefactor, and this remains unchanged.
Night fell, and after playing all day, both of them were tired. Takeda Reiko sent Amamiya Shiori home.
"Goodbye, Xiaozhi." Takeda Reiko said with a smile, "After your twentieth birthday, you will officially become an adult. Then you come to me and change the legal person of the company to yourself, and my responsibilities will be fulfilled. it's over."
Amamiya bit her lip and did not answer. Instead, she gave the mature and intellectual woman in front of her a tight hug.
"Thank you, mom-" Amamiya Sugaru leaned on Takeda Reiko's shoulder and murmured.
Takeda Reiko's eyes lit up, she smiled happily, gently lifted Amamiya Shiori's head, and kissed her forehead. Who doesn’t like a well-behaved daughter? Even if it is just a verbal title, there is no legal or blood relationship.
"Good boy, if you have any troubles you want to talk about in the future, or if you need help with any difficulties, you can come to mom." Takeda Reiko said happily, "Although mom is just a music teacher, there are still some connections in the literary and artistic circles in the family."
"I understand, Mom!" Amamiya Suga tightly hugged the third most important woman in his life in front of him.
The change of title represents the continuation of emotion, and the relationship between the two has been promoted from guardian to ward to a deeper level.
Although Amamiya Saki's personality can be considered withdrawn to a certain extent, if someone gives her emotional investment, she will definitely return it enthusiastically.
Whether it's Takeda Reiko or Shiraishi Mai, if people are kind to themselves, Amamiya Sugawara should be doubly kind to them.
