Japan Celebrates ALIEN DAY
Creatures from the various Ultraman shows and movies celebrated “Alien Day” at Yomiuriland.
Photo by Daisuke Ishizuka. © 2012 Tsuburaya Productions Co., Ltd.
Popular Ultra Series Characters Enjoy a Day at the Amusement Park
Author: Daisuke Ishizuka
Author Daisuke Ishizuke with Dada. Photo courtesy of
Daisuke Ishizuka. © 2012 Tsuburaya Productions Co., Ltd.
January 9, 2012 was a national holiday in Japan known as “Coming of Age Day” (成人の日, Seijin no Hi). The holiday is held each year on the second Monday of January, and celebrates those Japanese who — over the past year — turned 20 years old, the age one is considered an adult can legally vote, drink and smoke (and be tried as an adult in court). Throughout the day, special ceremonies honoring the new adults (新成人, Shin Seijin) were held at cities across Japan. Young women dress up in fancy, fur-lined silk kimonos called furisodes while men wear suits or traditional hakama.
The Yomiuriland amusement park in Inagi City, Tokyo decided to celebrate Coming of Age Day in a unique and fun way. Just as the English language has words that have the same spelling or pronunciation but separate meanings, so does Japanese. So a 20 year-old Japanese person is called a “Seijin”, but Seijin has another meaning in spoken Japanese… it also means “alien”.
Therefore, “Alien Day” was held instead of Coming of Age Day at Yomiuriland on January 9th. Popular alien characters from Tsuburaya Productions’ Ultraman series spent the day at the amusement park; posing for photos, clowning around with attendees and having a good time. The lineup included Alien Baltan (Barutan Seijin), Dada, Alien Mefilas (Mefirasu Seijin) and Alien Zarab (Zarabu Seijin) from ULTRAMAN; Alien Godola (Godora Seijin), Alien Metron (Metoron Seijin), Alien Guts (Gattsu Seijin) and Alien Ghose (Gohsu Seijin) from ULTRA SEVEN; and Alien Magma (Maguma Seijin) and Alien Babalou (Babaruu Seijin) from ULTRAMAN LEO. The monsters Kanegon and Garamon from ULTRA Q also took part in the festivities in the roles of mascot.
This time they were not evil invaders, but were friendly with human beings. Maybe these aliens very much enjoyed having their own special day on Earth.
Alien Guts. Photo by Daisuke Ishizuka. © 2012 Tsuburaya Productions Co., Ltd.
Alien Zarab. Photo by Daisuke Ishizuka. © 2012 Tsuburaya Productions Co., Ltd.
Alien Mefilas. Photo by Daisuke Ishizuka. © 2012 Tsuburaya Productions Co., Ltd.
Alien Godola. Photo by Daisuke Ishizuka. © 2012 Tsuburaya Productions Co., Ltd.
Alien Metron. Photo by Daisuke Ishizuka. © 2012 Tsuburaya Productions Co., Ltd.
Garamon and Kanegon. Photo by Daisuke Ishizuka. © 2012 Tsuburaya
Productions Co., Ltd.
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