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Oct 19 2012 10 Comments

A traditional and timeless Japanese Shinto wedding

Even taking fashion out of the equation, it’s no wonder Christian-style weddings are becoming the norm in Japan, as for the bride at least, it means there’s no need to suffer the uncomfortable kimono and heavy wig of a traditional Shinto ceremony. But as a spectacle — to these foreign eyes at least — the latter really is something else. A wonderful melding of the past and present. And one that while somewhat somber, also appears incredibly serene.

traditional shinto wedding

Categorized: Culture, Photography, Religion

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. leinad says

    10/19/2012 at 11:59 am

    Beautiful shot of the bridegroom, the bride and family!

    Reply
    • Lee says

      10/19/2012 at 3:08 pm

      Thanks! It was good to get the different generations in the frame. Seemed very apt considering the nature of the ceremony.

      Reply
  2. Hans ter Horst says

    10/19/2012 at 4:43 pm

    I had a Shinto ceremony in Shiogama, loved wearing the kimono but the rental costs for mine was quite a bit higher than for my wife’s as the “gaijin-sized” kimono had to come all the way from Tokyo. It took over an hour to get my wife dressed in her kimono but it did look fabulous and I still have many happy memories of the ceremony.

    Reply
    • Hans ter Horst says

      10/19/2012 at 4:46 pm

      BTW, I know exactly where you took this shot, I was standing 20m to the left when I took this shot: http://monochrome.me.uk/blog/p/1239 🙂

      Reply
      • Lee says

        10/19/2012 at 7:42 pm

        Interesting that you had to pay extra for a larger size!

        Yes, that’s the spot! Lovely shot of yours. Captures the beauty of the procession wonderfully.

        Reply
  3. A Former Expat says

    10/19/2012 at 6:03 pm

    Mine was traditional style and looking back, glad it was. My mother unfortunately made a scene as it was not a ‘Christian’ ceremony.

    Reply
    • Lee says

      10/19/2012 at 7:46 pm

      That’s a pity, but as it was your day, glad to hear you were happy with the choice.

      Reply
  4. Willy says

    10/19/2012 at 9:15 pm

    We had our wedding photos taken in a photo studio in Atsugi, several months after we were married, somewhat informally, on our back porch here in Australia… I wore a bright yellow suit for that occasion… anyway, I always thought it strange in that photo session that I had to wear a ‘fat gut pad’ under the traditional Japanese hakuma to make me look more ‘manly’ …I envision a future in which the fat pad has been replaced by a 6-pack pad… oh the travails of tradition… he he.. anyway, mum-in-law insisted on the whole thing, and the resulting pics are hung on for all time our walls… just like the old times…

    Reply
    • Lee says

      10/20/2012 at 10:03 am

      Two contrasting photos there. A hakama and a bright yellow suit!

      Interesting to hear about the ‘fat pad’. Nice to know that my slight paunch is manly too!

      Reply
      • Hans ter Horst says

        10/20/2012 at 4:32 pm

        I recognize that fat pad, very puzzling: I had to wear a towel around my waist as well although I am carrying a spare tire naturally and could easily loose two stone without it making me look skinny 🙂

        Reply

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