What Are Japanese Weddings Like?

Japanese weddings are a blend of ancient customs and modern influences, with Shinto-style ceremonies representing around 10-20% of weddings. However, most couples prefer a Christian-style ceremony at a chapel, even if they are not Christians themselves. Traditional Japanese weddings follow a range of outfits worn by the couple, with dress codes varying depending on the style of the wedding.

Traditional Japanese weddings are rich in cultural significance, from the intricate kimonos worn by the bride and groom to the symbolic sake ceremony. Planning a traditional Japanese wedding involves selecting auspicious dates, pre-wedding rituals like formal family dinners, and choosing the right attire. The bride wears an elaborate white kimono called shiro-muku, symbolizing purity and the start of a new chapter in her life.

The traditional Japanese ceremony is performed by a Shinto priest and held at a shrine, with only close family and a few guests present. The bride wears a white kimono called shiro-muku, while the groom wears formal attire reflecting the solemnity of the occasion.

In Japan, weddings can offer a combination of centuries-old Shinto or Buddhist rituals, the futuristic glamour of Tokyo’s modern hotels, or a tropical escape to one of the country’s numerous locations. Contemporary Japanese weddings often contain traditional Japanese and Western elements side by side, with the traditional ceremony held at a shrine.

In summary, Japanese weddings are a unique blend of ancient customs and modern influences, offering a unique and unforgettable experience for couples seeking a unique wedding experience.


📹 What a Typical Japanese Wedding is Really Like

Typical Japanese wedding and japan wedding culture. Japanese weddings consist of two parts – a ceremony where they …


How are Japanese weddings different?

In the U.S., weddings have two parts: the ceremony and the reception. The ceremony is when the bride walks down the aisle, and the reception is when food, toasts, speeches, etc. happen. In Japan, the ceremony and reception are combined, and there is also a second reception. What’s the difference between the two? At the main reception, the couple gives a speech to their parents and is wed in a church. Guests then move to another area for the reception, where they eat. Toasts are usually given by close friends and family. There are no dances at all! In the second reception, the bride wears her color dress and guests move to another location for games. Games.

What are japanese weddings like reddit
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What to expect in a Japanese wedding?

A Shinto priest leads the ceremony, which is attended by the couple’s family and friends. In the ceremony, the couple is purified, drinks sake, and the groom reads a commitment. At the end of the ceremony, offerings are given to the kami.

Japanese weddings today are different. Many have both traditional Japanese and Western elements.

The religious wedding ceremony is held at a shrine. The shrine may be inside the hotel. A Shinto priest leads the ceremony, which is attended by the couple’s family and friends. In the ceremony, the couple is purified, drinks sake, and the groom reads a commitment. At the end of the ceremony, offerings are given to the gods. The couple wears traditional kimonos.

Do Japanese married couples sleep separately?

Japanese couples often sleep separately because of different work schedules. Waking up your partner just because you got home late or have to leave early won’t help them sleep well. Spending the night in different rooms makes sense. Many Japanese couples sleep in different beds or rooms in smaller houses and apartments. This isn’t an intimate issue or problem with the relationship. It’s something they believe is good for them. We at Bright Side found out why Japanese couples sleep separately and liked their reasons. The first thing that makes Japanese couples sleep separately is different work schedules. Waking up your partner just because you got home late from work or have to leave early won’t help them rest well. This is why sleeping in different rooms makes sense. This lets them both sleep better.

Modern japanese wedding traditions
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Do you kiss at a Japanese wedding?

It was a short Japanese ceremony. It was strange to attend a ceremony singing hymns from a book in a country where most people are either Buddhist or atheist. When the priest said you may kiss the bride, the groom kissed her on the cheek. That’s not typical. It just happened at this ceremony.

Wedding gifts. After the ceremony, there was a cake cutting party. The biggest difference was the gifts, which were given in cash in decorated envelopes. You had to wrap the envelopes in special paper and make sure they were in perfect condition. Gift amounts were $120-$360. Guests could also get cash gifts, especially if they traveled a long distance.

Is divorce common in Japan?

Divorce used to be seen as shameful in Japan, but this changed in the 1980s. Between 1980 and 2012, the divorce rate increased by over 60%, but has fallen a bit in the past 10 years. Divorce rates among older couples are the highest they’ve ever been.

Japanese wedding traditions gifts
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At what age can you marry in Japan?

In Japan, you can’t get married until you’re 18 for boys and 16 for girls. In Japan, anyone under 20 cannot get married without parental approval.

The Civil Code will change on April 1, 2022. The legal age of marriage will be lowered from 20 to 18 for girls and boys.

  • Data sources: Barr, H., Human Rights Watch, Japan Moves to End Child Marriage, 2018, hrw.org/news/2018/03/21/japan-moves-end-child-marriage (accessed November 2021).
  • BBC News, Coming of Age: Why are adults in Japan getting younger? BBC News, 2018, bbc.com/news/world-asia-44465196 (accessed December 2019). Japan can end child marriage at home and help end it abroad. The Japan Times, website, 2018, japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2018/03/30/commentary/japan-commentary/japan-can-end-child-marriage-home-help-end-abroad/#.Xgnt2y1DlQI (accessed December 2019). Girl Summit 2014, The Girl Summit Charter on Ending FGM and Child, Early and Forced Marriage, website, 2015, gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/459236/Public_Girl_Summit_Charter_with_Signatories.pdf (accessed December 2019).
  • Government of Japan, Japan’s Voluntary National Review, 2017, sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/16445JapanVNR2017.pdf (accessed December 2019).
  • Human Rights Watch, Japan Moves to End Child Marriage, website, 2018, hrw.org/news/2018/03/21/japan-moves-end-child-marriage (accessed December 2019).
  • Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, Joint statement on child, early and forced marriage, HRC 27, Agenda Item 3, website, 2014,
  • fngeneve.um.dk/en/aboutus/statements/newsdisplaypage/?newsid=6371ad93-8fb0-4c35-b186-820fa996d379 (accessed December 2019).
  • Ministry of Justice, The Act partially amending the Civil Code (related to age of majority), n.d, moj.go.jp/EN/MINJI/minji07_00218.html (accessed November 2021).
  • UN CEDAW Committee, 2016, p. 3. tbinternet.ohchr.org/Treaties/CEDAW/Shared%20Documents/JPN/CEDAW_C_JPN_CO_7-8_21666_E.pdf (accessed December 2019).
  • UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, Concluding observations on the combined fourth and fifth periodic reports of Japan, CRC/C/JPN/CO/4-5, 2019, p. 4. tbinternet.ohchr.org/treatybodyexternal/Download.aspx?symbolno=CRC%2fC%2fJPN%2fCO%2f4-5&Lang=en (accessed December 2019).
  • UN General Assembly, Report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review: Japan, 2018, p. 7, ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/UPR/Pages/JPIndex.aspx (accessed December 2019).
  • United Nations, Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform, website, 2017, sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdg5 (accessed December 2019).
Japanese wedding food
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What is the marriage problem in Japan?

The 2022 gender report says that 25.4% of women and 26.5% of men in their 30s do not want to get married. More than 19% of men in their 20s and 14% of women have no plans to marry.

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Fewer people are getting married. The report says that 514,000 marriages were registered in Japan in 2021, the lowest annual figure since 1945. It was also much lower than the 1.029 million weddings in 1970.

Do Japanese couples cuddle?

No public touching. Be friends, not lovers. Japanese couples cuddle, but not in public. This makes people think they’re not affectionate.

Wedding ceremony in japan for foreigners
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Are weddings a big deal in Japan?

Bouquet and Letter to Honor Parents. At a Japanese wedding, the bride gives her parents a bouquet and a letter. At the end of the reception, the bride and groom give their parents a bouquet and a letter. This event may surprise Westerners, but it is a Japanese tradition. It is emotional and brings many guests to tears. The father of the groom and the groom thank everyone. In Japan, marriage is still seen as uniting two families. For example, if there’s a wedding for Hanako Yamada and Taro Tanaka, it’s called the Tanakas and Yamadas wedding reception, says Matsumoto.

Japanese receptions are planned to the minute. The couple gives their parents a hanataba (large flower bouquet) at the end. It’s a way to thank your parents for everything they’ve done. Then the bride will read a letter for her parents. It’s usually very emotional and makes guests cry to end the event.

No dancing at the reception. Matsuo says that many people think Japanese weddings have dancing at the reception. Many of my US guests were surprised to learn that dancing isn’t a big part of Japanese weddings. It’s a more formal event, and after the reception, friends will go out to drink and dance at the after-party. Weddings in Japan are more formal, scheduled, and punctual than in the United States. Matsuo says that wedding ceremonies are often just for family, and then guests join for the reception. The reception is formal and on time. We had a lunch with speeches and a sake toast. Dancing isn’t common in Japan. Couples dance first, but DJs and live bands play at the after-party. In America, you often see sweetheart tables or a couple with their wedding party. In Japan, you typically don’t have a wedding party. Instead, the VIPs are your bosses and coworkers. They sit with you at the head table, and your family and friends sit further away.

How long do Japanese weddings last?

I perform weddings in Japan. The ceremony lasts 15-20 minutes. The bride arrives 2-3 hours before for makeup, hair, etc. The reception lasts about 2 hours.

What is the Japanese style of wedding?

If the bride wears a colorful kimono, it is called iro-uchikake. The bride wears her hair in a bun, carries a small purse, a small sword, and a fan in her obi belt. Although many modern Japanese weddings don’t follow tradition, a sake-sharing ceremony is part of traditional Shinto weddings. Bride and groom, and their families, drink sake together. This Shinto wedding ritual is very connected to Japanese culture. We call exchanging cups of sake between brides and grooms San San Kudo.

Japanese wedding vows
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What are Japanese marriages like?

Spouses decide if they want a wedding ceremony. Marriages in Japan are usually Christian or Shinto. In Japan, marriages are usually arranged by the families of the couple or by the couple themselves. In the first option, both families arrange the marriage. In the second option, the spouses marry for love. Read on to learn more about Japanese marriages.

Civil marriages are performed by state-authorized officials and held in the civil registry. This type of marriage is the most popular with foreigners in Japan, but citizens can also get married this way. To get married in Japan, you can use the registry in your municipality or district. To marry in Japan, foreign spouses must be eligible to marry in their home country. This means that if you can’t get married in your home country, you can’t get married in Japan. Japan is one of the fastest-growing countries for marriage. Couples often get married on the same day they apply for a marriage license. Spouses must be at least 18 to get married. You must be at least 18 to get married. However, if parents or guardians agree, couples below this age can marry. A divorced woman must wait six months before marrying again. Spouses must be single at the time of the marriage application and registration.


📹 What a Real Japanese Wedding Is Like

I take you along with me to an actual Japanese wedding in Tokyo, and share what it’s like to RSVP and attend the ceremony and …


What Are Japanese Weddings Like
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Christina Kohler

As an enthusiastic wedding planner, my goal is to furnish couples with indelible recollections of their momentous occasion. After more than ten years of experience in the field, I ensure that each wedding I coordinate is unique and characterized by my meticulous attention to detail, creativity, and a personal touch. I delight in materializing aspirations, guaranteeing that every occasion is as singular and enchanted as the love narrative it commemorates. Together, we can transform your wedding day into an unforgettable occasion that you will always remember fondly.

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  • I’ve been to many weddings in the states and one time I got invited to Japan for a wedding. I was so surprised how everyone dressed very formal. I feel like in the states, not everyone wears a suit or tuxedos, but most men at the wedding wore tuxedo and some in suits. On top of that, the meal was phenomenal! It was a French course meal with the finest quality ingredients and meat from different parts of Japan. Japan just do things at a different level, I was so impressed.

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