Hi, we're students of Doshisha university in Kyoto, Japan. We're currently working on a project of spreading Japanese wedding culture to the world.
In this article, you can know interesting meanings hidden in Japanese wedding culture.
Japanese Wedding
Weddings in Japan are classical and traditional one, which have been continued since Heian era.
Heian era is about 1200 years ago. The wedding held in Kyoto has particular attractiveness and is the best Japanese wedding in Japan. It is because there are the most suitable temples and shrines and interesting townscapes. Bride and gloom put on traditional small articles and kimono costume and Japanese wedding is proceeded through various ceremonies.
According to surveys we conducted in this May, many people from overseas consider Japanese wedding as something too formal and have unfamiliar image. However, on the other hand, each ceremony has special meanings. Furthermore, not only ceremonies but also small articles have special meanings.
The meaning for ceremonies
A Japanese wedding is composed of 9 kinds of ceremonies: Sanshin -no –Gi, Shubatsu-no-Gi, Noritosojo-no-Gi, Sansankudo-no Hai, The exchange rings, Seishisojo, Tamagushi-Hairei, Shinzokusakazuki-no-Gi, The closing remarks.
We would like to introduce you 4 ceremonies, which have Japanese particular meanings.
Shubatsu-no-Gi (expelling evil spirits by Shinto rituals)
A Shinto priest expresses the words to expel evil spirits from the bride, groom and those present and purify their minds.
Noritosojo-no-Gi (reciting Norito, which is Shinto ritual prayers)
Norito means the words to tell gods. By reciting Norito, Shinto priest tells gods that the couple is getting married and prays for their good married life.
Sansankudo-no Hai (the bride and groom exchanging cups of sake at wedding)
The bride and groom drink the three cups of Omiki, which is the sacred sake, alternately. (Each cup has different size; a big one, a middle one and a small one.) This ritual means exchanging marriage vows forever.
Tamagushi-Hairei (offerring Tamagushi to God. Tamagushi is branch of sacred tree)
This ritual means that the couple gives thanks to God for taking good wedding ceremony. Tamagushi is said that it is just like a bridge between the bride and groom.
The meaning for small articles
Shiromuku (Pure white)
It symbolizes a pure heart. The bride’s best formal dress style which unified all of the things wearing in white. “White” represents a sacred state without dirt, a color to get rid of evil. Bride’s declaration of determination to dyed in the house style of a married house.
Wataboshi (Cotton hat)
Wataboshi is a white hat wearing somewhat deeply on the head when wearing pure white. During the Heian era, women who had high status wore this as clothes when going out. This had been used as clothes for protection against cold and amulet popularly until the Meiji era.
Tsunokakushi
It is a hood worn by brides as a part of a traditional wedding costume in Japan. There are various opinions from the origins. The most famous one is to put it on to be a straight forward and mild wife by covering and hiding her devil’s horn which appears when she gets angry.
Honfurisode
Consequently, Japanese wedding has attractive points at not only pomp of appearance but also the meanings of ceremonies and small articles and is really interesting. Being different from western wedding ceremony, you can leave proof of the marriage in a quiet, solemn atmosphere. Why don’t you hold a Japanese wedding ceremony with your lover at Kyoto where you could feel Japanese tradition most?
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