Police have received at least 160 complaints after a kimono rental firm halted operations just before Monday's Coming-of-Age Day ceremonies, leaving many young women without formal attire for the once-in-a-lifetime event, sources said.

Hundreds of women made kimono reservations with the Yokohama-based Harenohi and were getting ready for the event when many of the company's employees failed to show up. The company's shops were closed and staff were unreachable.

The firm, established in October 2008, also runs shops in Tokyo's Hachioji, Tsukuba in Ibaraki Prefecture and the city of Fukuoka.