THIS IS: Weddings in Japan | Guidable - Your Guide to a Sustainable, Wellbeing-centred Life in Japan

THIS IS: Weddings in Japan

By Guidable Writers Apr 7, 2017

Traditional weddings in Japan

There is a traditional style of weddings in Japan, and this is quite different from the Western style.

Japan is a Shinto country, so the Japanese style wedding is held in a shrine.

The bride will wear a white kimono which is called “shiromuku” with a tall and tied-up hair style. The groom will wear a black and white “haori” and a “hakama” which is a kimono for men.

In a Japan, the wedding has been considered as a family ceremonies rather than individual ceremonies. Because marriage is a matter between families, arraigned marriage was very common style of getting married in the old days. Even today, many old-fashioned Japanese families still think about the status of the marriage partner’s family, and some are arraigned marriage. However, most of the people marry by love marriage today.

When you visit a Shrine, sometimes they have weddings, so check it out if you have a chance to see it.

 

 

Recent wedding styles in Japan

Recently many Japanese people have their weddings in a Western style.

Although Japan has its traditional wedding style, most of the people choose the Western style wedding. The reason why Western style wedding is popular is unclear. However, it is maybe because many Japanese are long of western culture and Japanese women want to wear the white dress instead of white Kimono.

The Western style wedding is usually held in churches, but most of the people who have their wedding in churches are not Christians. This is why the wedding tradition is interesting in Japan, because many people do not have their weddings based on their religion.

 

Difference with American style wedding and Japanese style wedding

Since many Japanese people have their weddings in a Western style, it is different from a Western American style wedding and Western-Japanese style wedding.

For the American-style wedding, people usually have the bridal shower before the actual wedding just between women. And men will have a bachelor party before the wedding. However, in Japan, there is no bridal shower and bachelor party before the wedding.

Moreover, in American style wedding, there are bride’s maid and groom’s man, however, in a Japanese style wedding, there are no both of them.

Although many Japanese people have their tradition Shinto style wedding, recently most of the people have their wedding in a Western style, and even if they have it in a western style wedding, it is a bit different from an American wedding.

By Karen