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Our Japanese wedding ceremony was held at Hikawa Shrine in Akasaka last December.
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It was a cold, drizzly day, which may not be ideal for a wedding,
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but Japanese shrines look amazing with a little bit of rain.
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Plus it cleared up just in time for the ceremony so everything was perfect.
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Although located near busy stations like Roppongi and Akasaka,
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Hikawa shrine is tucked away deep in its spacious garden and is very peaceful and private.
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The shrine is also dedicated to the Shinto god Susano and his wife Kushinadahime,
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and is, therefore, associated with good relationships and happy marriages.
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The 400 year old gingko tree that greets you at the entrance
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was all lit up with its bright yellow foliage for our big day.
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Now, let's go inside and get ready.
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After Hagie did my makeup, it was time to put on that wig!
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Unlike most wigs, that are usually floppy and soft, this one was rock solid.
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It literally felt like wearing a helmet.
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but believe it or not it's actually not that uncomfortable.
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and thank goodness for that because the kimono is.
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We'll let my husband change first.
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The groom wears what's called a "montsuki haori hakama"
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"Mon" means emblem and refers to the family crest, which is printed on the "haori" - or kimono jacket.
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You'll find one emblem on the back, right below the neck,
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two on the sleeves, and two on the chest.
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"Hakama" refers to the pants.
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The unique thing about kimonos is that it wears you.
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In other words, there's no squeezing into anything, just lots of folding and tying.
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Lots of folding and tying.
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The white pompom looking thing in the front is the "haori himo,"
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which loosely ties the font of the jacket together.
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I wore a white wedding kimono called the "shiromuku".
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And wow, you wouldn't believe how much there is to it!
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First there's the padding to create the basic shape.
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Then there's the wrapping.
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After you've got the basic shape, you put on the first layer called the "nagajyuban" and tie it into place.
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Next, we have the second layer called the "kakeshita".
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That's a lot of cords.
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And you definitely feel it.
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The "obi" or large kimono belt is wrapped around the second layer.
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And how they tie this thing, I have no idea,
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but it looks pretty amazing!
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The last layer is the "uchikake," which is like a thick coat for kimonos.
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And it is thick!
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The "uchikake" have beautiful embroideries of plants, animals and treasures that are thought to be good luck
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such as cranes, orchids, and carriages.
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After applying some color to my lips, we were ready for the final step.
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Putting on the "wataboshi," which literally means cotton hat.
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An interesting fact, before becoming a headdress for weddings,
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the "wataboshi" was actually just a winter hat to keep warm.
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With a custom to cover the bride's face for only the groom to see until after ceremony,
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the "wataboshi" with its large shape became a part of the wedding kimono.
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This kimono is not the most comfortable thing.
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It's very very heavy.
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and my shoulder is starting to ache a little bit.
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but it's definitely worth it!
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The white wedding kimono is generally assumed to symbolize purity
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and willingness of the bride to be "dyed in the grooms colors."
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but another theory suggests differently.
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I wasn't able to incorporate all of the little details in this video,
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So if you want more depth, be sure to check out my new blog.
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We just got done rehearsing our parts for the wedding.
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And we our about to go outside and walk through the entrance and do the real thing.
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There's lot of little things we have to remember, so I'm a little bit nervous if I can do it correctly.
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My dad and my grandma are here.
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My mom couldn't make it. She's in the states.
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But I'll be sending her pictures and she'll see this video so it'll be all good.
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The Japanese wedding ceremony is called the "shinzen kekkonshiki."
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and literally means wedding before god.
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The ceremony begins with the performance of ancient court music for the "sanshin no gi",
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where the bride and groom are escorted to the pavilion by the shrine masters and maidens.
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Inside the Pavilion, the shinto priest announces our marriage to the shinto gods
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and begins the "sankon no gi."
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a ritual to strengthen the couple's bond
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where the bride and the groom take turns sipping sake from three sake cups
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increasing in size and poured three times.
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Although there are varying theories, many say that the first sake cup or sakazuki
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symbolizes the heavens, showing appreciation for our ancestors.
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Oh, and make sure you wait till you've got something in your cup.
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That was embarrassing..
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Alrigh, let's try this again.
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The second sakazuki symbolizes the earth, and the couple's vow to care for each other as long as they live.
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and the third represents people, and prays for the couple's fertility.
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The next ritual is one unique to the Hikawa shrine and involved the offering of a comb to the shinto gods.
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The bride holds the comb wrapped in cloth in front of her heart and makes a prayer.
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She then gives the comb to the groom, who by accepting it shows the bride and the attendees,
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his determination and willingness to make the marriage work.
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Next, comes the reading of the vow.
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Reading the vow not to each other, but to the shinto gods,
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The script is prepared by the shrine and read by the groom as the couple stand together.
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Next, we have the "tamagushi hoten," which is a special ceremonial offering of a sprig
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from a flowering evergreen tree to the Shinto gods.
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"Tamagushi" or the "spirit stick" carries our thoughts and prayers through the end of the branch to the gods.
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Lastly, we've got something simple and that most of your are familiar with.
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The exchanging of wedding bands.
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This ritual was not part of the original ceremony,
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but was added in the 1950s due to influence from western-style weddings.
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The ceremony ends with the "shinzoku katame no sakazuki."
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where the attendees drink sake and celebrate the two families coming together.
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and that concludes the "shinzenshiki."
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In the last few years, the "shinzenshiki" has regained popularity,
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with the increasing appreication for kimonos and the "wa" spirit among younger generations.
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but still, western style weddings are much more common.
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To be honest, I, myself, never thought I would have a Japanese wedding.
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And I must say I have this channel and all of you watching to thank for this amazing experience.
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Your love for Japan has sparked my curiosity to get to know my roots better having lived abroad for so long.
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I'm learning, seeing, and doing so much and I truly thank you for that.
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I hope you enjoyed the video and please let me know in the comments
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what part of the Japanese wedding ceremony you found most interesting
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and if there are any similar rituals in your country.
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Lastly, a special thanks to my friend Hagie, and her team at Wakon Style ,
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for their hard work, attention to detail, and for making us look good.
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We couldn't have done it without them.
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Alright, guys! Thank you for watching and I will see you again soon!