he engagement dinner. They are made from «yui-no,» a willow trees with tender leaves. «Yui-no» sake casks were meant to symbolise a pledge for obedience and gentleness in marriage.
Most important amongst the gifts for a bride-to-be was an «obi,» a traditonal kimono sash. It represented female virtue.
The most popular time of year for Japanese weddings is spring, with June being the first choice. Couples will try to select a tomobiki day on which to schedule their nuptials. Tomobiki, which means drawing friends, is considered the most auspicious day for a wedding. These days are calculated according to the ancient Japanese calendar and, because they are select dates, must be booked well in advance.Locations
Traditional Japanese wedding ceremonies are either Buddhist or Shinto, with the Shinto religion dominant. The religious Shinto ceremony is held at a shrine. Shinto, literally translated as «the way of the gods» is the indigenous religion of, and is as old as, Japan herself. It is Japan's major religion besides Buddhism. Shinto shrines are places of worship and considered to be the dwellings of the kami, or Shinto gods. Sacred objects of worship that represent the kami are stored out of sight in the innermost chamber. The shrine is where people visit to pay their respects to the gods and pray the gift of good fortune. They are, therefore «Logical» places to hold a wedding ceremony. In Japan today, the shine may be moved into the venue at which the reception will take place.Attire
Both the bride and the groom wear the traditional kimono for the ceremony. Couples today may change into Western wear at the reception. The bride and groom completely change their outfits three or more times. The custom dates from the 14th century and is called «oironaoshi.» It signifies the bride s preparedness to resume everyday life. The bride s traditional wedding costume is called a shiro-muku, a white silk «undergarment» that meaning literally «white pure,» a kimono she will usually wear at the beginning of the ceremony. During the ceremony, she will put on other, more elaborate kimonos, over the white one.
If the bride gets married in a traditional white wedding kimono, she may choose to come to the reception in a colorful embroidered kimono and then, if she so chooses, to change again, this time into typical western-wear. If she attends her ceremony in western garb, she may conversely come to the reception in a wedding dress, from which she changes into a wedding kimono and then into a party dress.
Donning a kimono is no easy task, so both bride and groom will have an attendant assisting them. Tying the obi, or belt, is particularly difficult. Accessories are an important component in the traditional attire. They include the proper hair style, traditional socks and shoes (a tabi, short, white toe socks and zori, thonglike clogs), «underwear» and the bride carries a small purse-style sack called hakoseko and a small encased sword called kaiken. She wears a fan in her obi belt because tradition compares the widening of the open fan to happiness and so it portends a happy future.
The undergarment is covered by a heavily embroidered, elaborate, richly patterned, silk brocade uchikake, or overkimono in red, white and gold. Cranes, scenes of flowers, flower carts, nature motifs and other traditional symbols of luck, health and long life are embroidered onto the fabric with gold thread. The uchikake kimono originated in the Edo era and was mainly worn only by court nobles. The bride will wear this kimono only once, because, in Japan, they reserved to be worn only by young, unmarried women. Red is the most popular uchikake kimono color, but they are also available in other colors.
The bride's hair is coifed in traditional Japanese style called bunkintakashimada and is adorned with beautiful kanzashi ornaments, combs and accessories. Her wig is covered with a white hood-like veil of cloth called a tsunokakushi, meaning demon horns. It is draped over her face. According to Japanese tradition, the veil is there to hide her demon horns. The horns are a sign of jealousy and, tradition states, that by covering them, she acknowledges her submission to her mother-in-law.
A white wedding hood called a literally meaning «to hide horns» is worn during the ceremony indicating that she will carry out her role as a wife with patience and serenity.
The bride's face is covered with white powder (declaring her maiden status to the gods), her eyes are outlined in a dark color and her lips are painted bright red.
The traditional Japanese wedding wear for the groom consists of an outer garment (Hakama) worn over a full-length kimono, s...
