A special event to mark Coming of Age Day was held in Dunedin at Stuart Hall, behind Knox Church, on Saturday, with help from the Dunedin-Otaru Sister City Society.
The day is a public holiday in Japan, held annually on the second Monday of January.
It is held in order to congratulate and encourage all those who have already reached the age of maturity, between April 2 of the previous year and April 1 of the present year.
Sister city society secretary Nathan Woodfield, who helped organise the event, said it was a significant day on the Japanese calendar.
"In Japan, it’s largely organised by the adults, whereas this one is a bit more led by the young people themselves, so it does have a bit of a different tone and atmosphere with it than what it would be in Japan."
Most of those participating were either exchange students or Japanese students with ties to the sister city, he said.
"It’s been kind of inspiring seeing them."
There was also a strong element of fun for the students involved.
"You see that a lot of them are dressed to the nines; these are probably the fanciest outfits they’ll wear until they’re married."
In Japan, the day is also treated as an opportunity for a "homecoming" for many students, Mr Woodfield said.
"For lots of them, it might be the first time they’ve gone back home since they left for university or work."
