The beauty parlors of Japan stay open all night. At least, they do once a year. They have to. Otherwise how will all the 19-year-old girls get their hair done?

In Japan, the 20th birthday is especially important. It marks the year that kids become grownups. The Japanese celebrate with a national holiday called The Coming of Age. It happens on the second Monday of January.

Everyone who will be leaving the teen years joins in the fun. This year, there were 1.26 million! Young women wear traditional Japanese robes called kimonos. They get their hair and makeup done. Young men usually wear suits. The men and women have ceremonies. They attend parties. They go to amusement parks.

Growing up is something worth celebrating. Every birthday marks a new year God has given you. With each year, you may have new freedoms. But you may have new responsibilities, too. Every culture has an idea about when adulthood begins. When do you think you will be truly grown up? How will you celebrate?