It’s the big day that every girl dreams about: Her wedding day. Here in Japan there is no expense spared. The Japanese wedding business is booming, with an industry estimated at a whopping 2 trillion yen in revenue a year. There are a variety of ways in which the Japanese like to celebrate that special day and you can too.

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According to statistics from the annual wedding trend survey by Recruit Co., 12.4% of Japanese weddings are the traditional Shinto style wedding.

These ceremonies embrace traditional kimono, formal processions at a shrine, sake drinking and often are followed by receptions consisting of numerous formal speeches. It is also customary for the couple to ask close friends to help out by performing at the reception, for example as an emcee, by performing a song or by doing a comedy routine. Close friends also act as receptionists on behalf of the families and collect gifts from the guests when the arrive. The Japanese usually give cash as a wedding gift, known as goshuugi (ご祝儀）, which is presented in a special envelope called a shuugi-bukuro　（祝儀袋）.

Due to the influence of foreign media and film, 69.8% of Japanese couples now opt for Western style weddings. These ceremonies take place in chapels, complete with cake-cutting, honeymoons and a white wedding gown.

The other 15% choose quiet civil ceremonies. In metropolitan areas, the most popular venues are hotels, restaurants and special wedding halls.

How you throw a wedding ceremony is completely up to you, however this will not be recognised as a legal marriage, as religion in Japan has no civil legal power. At the end of World War II, the Emperor Hirohito and his embodiment of Shinto were constitutionally separated from the state.

In order to be legally married in Japan, as well as the country you’re from, you must be registered here in Japan at your local ward office, all of which involves lots of paperwork.

First you must apply to your local embassy for a certificate of competency, which will state that you are eligible to marry. If you are marrying a Japanese national, he or she must complete a Japanese municipal government form called the kon-in todoke (婚姻届）. Once you have your certificates, these must then be translated into Japanese and handed over to your ward office, along with your passport, two witness signatures and in some cases your birth certificate. Once this has been successfully processed you will be issued with a Certificate of Acceptance of Notification of Marriage. This is your proof of marriage and will cost you around ¥1,500.

Once you are married, it’s onto the ceremony. For the Japanese, nuptials are simply a ritual but the upside is that it can be any style you like: Western, Shinto or even nothing at all.

The Grand Hyatt in Roppongi Hills offers a range of packages to cater to any taste for an unforgettable wedding.

The hotel boasts its own Grand Chapel for those that wish to rejoice White wedding style, complete with an organ and a balcony for your choir, as well as a beautifully spacious private garden for wedding snaps. For those that prefer a more traditional Japanese experience, the contemporary yet traditional Shinto Shrine will meet your needs. In the foyer, Japanese artist Hiroshi Senju has created original waterfall paintings on each wall… a perfect calming ambiance for just before you walk down the aisle. Both venues seat up to 100 guests.

We caught up with a wedding planner to see what they have on offer.

Representative, Wedding Planner, Grand Hyatt Roppongi Hills

The average wedding cost for 80-100 people is usually around 4 million yen. Packages include the chapel, Shinto shrine for the wedding ceremonies, as well as function rooms, photography studio and hair dresser. For both Shinto and Christian weddings, most of the time the guests prefer to have a full course French meal. Both ceremonies usually last about 20 minutes, while the receptions last about two and a half hours afterwards. As you know we have four seasons in Japan. Spring and the fall are very popular seasons to get married in, with the sakura and the autumn leaves. The hotel environment is very set. Regardless of the season we will be able to manage any wedding at any time. We also have very reasonable and attractive packages for people who don’t mind getting married on days which are traditionally seen as unlucky on the Japanese calendar.

According to the Japanese Buddhist calendar there are several days deemed as inauspicious for holding weddings and funerals. But if you are not superstitious it is worth looking into as it could be a deal.

A list of ward offices in Tokyo www.tokyo-icc.jp/guide_eng/gov/02.html

Grandy Hyatt http://tokyo.grand.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/index.jsp

Story by Laura Buckwell
All Rights Reserved, Spinshell Inc.

Spinshell Reports are three minute episodes of useful information about visiting and living in Japan.

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Tags: ceremony, getting married, goshugi, goshuugi, grand hyatt, japan, marriage, Roppongi, shinto, Tokyo, weddings

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