Every January, an event called Seijinshiki is held across various parts of Japan to celebrate 20-year-olds for becoming adults. It's a massive celebratory event for these young people, and things get a little bit out of control at times.

However, on January 10, 2016, a group of young people (who turns 20 this year) was sighted cleaning the streets of Okinawa.

Bright pink hakama (a sort of a male version of Kimono) and sunglasses, it's normally the sort of people you would try and avoid if you are in Japan. But in their hands are trash bags; they are even sorting the types of rubbish as specified by the local government.

"Seijinshiki in Okinawa Sucks"

These hardcore-looking yet gentle people were actually former students of Ishimi Junior High School.

One of them is currently going to a university outside of Okinawa, where he was told that seijinshiki in Okinawa is disgraceful. It must have been tough to feel that your home is being looked down upon.

But that's when he saw his peers picking up the rubbish on social media.

That was the motive for this group to do the same thing, to try and create a better image of Okinawa's youth.

Ishimi Cleaning Unit

The group named themselves the "Ishimi Cleaning Unit", and cleaned one of the main streets of Okinawa for about an hour and a half.

At times, people joined; even police officers on patrol gave them a salute for their good work.

It must be actually difficult to pick up rubbish while others of the same age is partying hard.

Seijinshiki is supposed to be a day where you thank those who have helped reach maturity. It is certainly better for these "new adults" to see what they have become by what good they can do to the society.


By - grape Japan editorial staff.