The University of Connecticut Japanese Student Association hosted its first ever Seijin Shiki formal at the Student Union on Saturday, Feb. 7.
Seijin Shiki is a traditional coming-of-age ceremony usually held in January for those who have turned 20, to celebrate young women and men as they move into the next chapter of their lives. UConn JSA hosted this event to give students a way to celebrate this tradition and spread knowledge of Japanese culture on campus.
Starting in the evening, the formal kicked off with a brief explanation of the event and an introduction to its organizers. Soon after, the first activity was held, in which representatives from each dining table had to find someone that matched a description given by the announcer. The player that was unable to find someone was then eliminated, with the last player standing and their table getting to eat first. The game proved highly competitive, with students buzzing between tables and practically tearing each other from their seats.
Once the activity concluded and winners reaped their culinary spoils, the remaining tables were then allowed to grab their food one by one. Those afraid that they would miss out on anything had their fears eased, as the available dinner featured a plentiful selection, including teriyaki chicken, vegetables, chicken udon and more.
Following dinner, attendees were then given the chance to participate in more relaxing activities, starting with keychain making and then moving on to a photo card activity. The calm nature of these events gave students the chance to socialize with one another and make crafts to help them remember the event.
After the individual activities concluded, the different tables were once again able to compete through trivia, which tested participants in their knowledge of Seijin Shiki. The winning table was awarded a highly coveted snack basket, which added high stakes to the game. Overall, the game proved to be one of the most popular of the night.
“My favorite part was trivia,” Weiya Wang, a fourth-semester journalism major said. “We had a lot of fun.”
Next, the official Seijin Shiki ceremony was held. One by one, 20-year-old students were called up by name to receive a certificate commemorating the event, a lei adorned with various Japanese snacks and a horse plushie.
Once the ceremony concluded, the event ended with several raffles held for various prizes. Standout items included a ceremonial matcha set, a takoyaki plate and diamond earrings.
All in all, the celebration proceeded excellently despite the organizer’s initial fears.
“The biggest worry that we had was turnout,” Vasu Jain, the president of UConn JSA and an eighth-semester management and real estate major, said. “But one thing which I really enjoyed doing is, since it’s our first time, we were very excited for the new challenge, and JSA has evolved the past couple of years on what our goals are, what our vision is, and what we are trying to do as a club.”
“I think one thing I really enjoyed about it is having, like, 70 people come in today — you know, a lot of new faces, too — from the involvement fair, and them really enjoying their moment while getting food, but also partaking in activities and everything,” Jain said.
Those wishing to learn more about UConn JSA can visit their dedicated page on UConntact and Instagram.