These young women were among the 1.23 million people in Japan who embarked on a new journey in their lives yesterday - as full-fledged adults.

It was Seijin-no-hi or Coming of Age Day, a public holiday set on the second Monday of January every year to honour Japanese men and women who had turned 20 over the past year.

The day begins with these young adults dressing to the nines: colourful kimonos for the women and suits for the men.

Then, they head out to attend coming-of-age ceremonies that are held at local city offices throughout Japan, where they are reminded of their new-found freedoms as well as their increased responsibilbilites.

Later, many of them get together to celebrate as only young people can.

In Osaka, approximately 100 men and women climbed to the top floor of the 60-storey Abeno Harukas building yesterday, reported Japanese daily Mainichi. They all wore sashes with their hopes and dreams written on them.

Other popular spots for gatherings included the Toshimaen Amusement Park in Tokyo and Tokyo Disneyland.