• 2 years ago
Transcript
00:00 It was a cold drizzly day, which may not be ideal for a wedding,
00:03 but Japanese shrines look amazing with a little bit of rain.
00:06 Plus, it cleared up just in time for the ceremony,
00:10 so everything was perfect.
00:12 Although located near busy stations like Roppongi and Akasaka,
00:17 Hikawa Shrine is tucked away deep in its spacious garden
00:20 and is very peaceful and private.
00:22 The shrine is also dedicated to the Shinto god Susanoo
00:26 and his wife Kushinada-hime,
00:27 and is therefore associated with good relationships and happy marriages.
00:31 The 400 year old ginkgo tree that greets you at the entrance
00:35 was all lit up with its bright yellow foliage for a big day.
00:38 Now, let's go inside and get ready.
00:42 This is the inside of the building.
00:48 We're going to be getting ready upstairs.
00:50 Konnichiwa!
00:52 This is my friend, Hagi.
00:54 Hi!
00:56 She's going to be helping with my makeup and everything today.
00:58 Yoroshiku onegaishimasu!
01:00 After my friend, Hagi, did my makeup,
01:02 it was time to put on that wig.
01:04 Unlike most wigs that are usually floppy and soft,
01:08 this one was rock solid.
01:10 It literally felt like wearing a helmet.
01:13 Oh my god!
01:15 But believe it or not, it's actually not that uncomfortable.
01:19 And thank goodness for that, because the wedding kimono is...
01:25 We'll let my husband change first.
01:27 The groom wears what's called a "mon-suki haori hakama."
01:32 "Mon" means emblem, and refers to the family crest
01:35 which is printed on the haori, or kimono jacket.
01:38 You'll find one emblem on the back right below the neck,
01:41 two on the sleeves, and two on the chest.
01:44 "Hakama" refers to the pants.
01:47 The unique thing about kimonos is that it wears you.
01:50 In other words, there's no squeezing into anything.
01:53 Just lots of folding and tying.
01:55 Lots of folding and tying.
01:57 The white pom-pom looking thing in the front is the "haori himo,"
02:02 which loosely ties the front of the jacket together.
02:05 How is it?
02:07 It's tight.
02:08 I wore a white wedding kimono called the "shiro-muku."
02:13 And wow, you wouldn't believe how much there is to it.
02:16 First, there's the padding to create the basic shape.
02:19 Then there's the wrapping.
02:23 After you've got the basic shape,
02:25 you put on the first layer called the "naga-juban"
02:28 and tie it into place.
02:30 Next, we have the second layer called the "kakeshita."
02:38 That's a lot of cords.
02:44 And you definitely feel it.
02:49 The "obi," or large kimono belt, is wrapped around the second layer.
02:53 And how they tie this thing, I have no idea,
02:58 but it looks pretty amazing.
03:00 Oh, I have to film from the side.
03:11 Oh, sorry.
03:12 Sorry.
03:18 The last layer is the "uchikake,"
03:20 which is like a thick coat for kimonos.
03:23 And it is thick.
03:26 Uchikake have beautiful silk embroideries of plants,
03:29 animals, and treasures that are thought to be good luck,
03:32 such as cranes, orchids, and carriages.
03:35 After applying some color to my lips,
03:42 we were ready for the final step,
03:44 putting on the "wata-boushi,"
03:46 which literally means "cotton hat."
03:48 An interesting fact,
03:50 before becoming a headdress for weddings,
03:52 the "wata-boushi" was actually just a winter hat to keep warm.
03:55 With a custom to cover the bride's face
03:57 for only the groom to see until after the ceremony,
04:00 the "wata-boushi" with its large shape
04:02 became a part of the wedding kimono.
04:04 It's like a cotton swab.
04:06 A cotton swab?
04:07 It's like a cotton ball.
04:08 It's so cute!
04:09 It's like a ball.
04:10 This kimono is not the most comfortable thing.
04:13 It's very, very heavy,
04:15 and my shoulder is starting to ache a little bit,
04:19 but it's definitely worth it.
04:21 The white wedding kimono is generally assumed
04:32 to symbolize purity and willingness of the bride
04:34 to be "dyed in the groom's colors,"
04:37 but another theory suggests differently.
04:40 I wasn't able to incorporate all the little details in this video,
04:43 so if you want more depth, be sure to check out my new blog.
04:46 We just got done rehearsing our parts for the wedding,
04:50 and we are about to go outside
04:53 and walk through the entrance to do the real thing.
04:56 There's lots of little things we have to remember,
04:58 so I'm a little bit nervous if I can do it correctly.
05:01 My dad and my grandma are here.
05:04 My mom couldn't make it. She's in the States.
05:06 But I'll be sending her pictures,
05:08 and she'll see this video.
05:09 So it'll be all good.
05:11 We're going to the shrine now.
05:14 (speaking in Japanese)
05:18 (speaking in Japanese)
05:46 The Japanese wedding ceremony is called the "Shinzen Kekkonshiki,"
05:50 and literally means "wedding before God."
05:53 The ceremony begins with the performance of ancient court music
05:56 for the "Sanshin no Gi,"
05:58 where the bride and groom are escorted to the pavilion
06:00 by the shrine masters and maidens.
06:03 Inside the pavilion, the Shinto priest announces our marriage
06:14 to the Shinto gods and begins the "Sankon no Gi,"
06:18 a ritual to strengthen the couple's bond,
06:20 where the bride and groom take turns sipping sake
06:23 from three sake cups increasing in size and poured three times.
06:27 Although there are varying theories,
06:37 many say that the first sake cup, or "sakazuki,"
06:40 symbolizes the heavens,
06:42 and a growing appreciation for our ancestors.
06:45 Oh, and make sure you wait till you've caught something in your cup.
06:51 That was embarrassing.
06:54 All right, let's try this again.
06:58 The second sakazuki symbolizes the earth,
07:09 and the couples vow to care for each other as long as they live.
07:13 And the third represents people,
07:17 and prays for the couple's fertility.
07:20 The next ritual is one unique to the Hikawa shrine
07:23 and involves the offering of a comb to the Shinto gods.
07:26 The bride holds the comb wrapped in cloth in front of her heart
07:29 and makes a prayer.
07:31 She then gives the comb to the groom,
07:34 who by accepting it shows the bride and the attendees
07:36 his determination and willingness to make the marriage work.
07:39 Next comes the reading of the vow,
07:45 reading the vow not to each other, but to the Shinto gods.
07:48 The script is prepared by the shrine
07:51 and read by the groom as the couple stand together.
07:54 (speaking in Japanese)
07:56 (speaking in Japanese)
07:58 (speaking in Japanese)
08:01 (speaking in Japanese)
08:29 (speaking in Japanese)
08:31 Next we have the Tamagushi Houten,
08:38 which is a special ceremonial offering
08:40 of a sprig from a flowering evergreen tree to the Shinto gods.
08:43 Tamagushi, or the spirit stick,
08:46 carries our thoughts and prayers
08:48 through the end of the branch to the gods.
08:50 (music)
08:52 Lastly, we've got something simple
09:08 in that post of you are familiar with,
09:10 the exchanging of wedding bands.
09:12 This ritual was not part of the original ceremony,
09:17 but was added in the 1950s
09:19 due to influence from Western-style weddings.
09:21 The ceremony ends with the Shinzoku Katame no Sakazuki,
09:27 where the attendees drink sake
09:29 and celebrate the two families coming together.
09:31 (speaking in Japanese)
09:35 And that concludes the Shinzen Shiki.
09:39 In the last few years,
09:45 the Shinzen Shiki has regained popularity
09:47 with increasing appreciation for kimonos
09:49 and the wa spirit among younger generations.
09:52 But still, Western-style weddings are much more common.
09:55 To be honest,
09:57 I myself never thought I'd have a Japanese wedding.
09:59 And I must say, I have this channel
10:02 and all of you watching to thank for this amazing experience.
10:05 Your love for Japan has sparked my curiosity
10:08 to get to know my roots better
10:09 after having lived abroad for so long.
10:11 I'm learning, seeing, and doing so much
10:16 and I truly thank you guys for that.
10:18 I hope you enjoyed the video
10:20 and please let me know in the comments
10:22 what part of the Japanese wedding ceremony
10:24 you found most interesting
10:25 and if there are any similar rituals in your country.
10:28 Lastly, a special thanks to my friend Hagi
10:30 and her team at Wakkon Style
10:32 for their hard work, attention to detail,
10:34 and for making us look good.
10:36 We couldn't have done it without them.
10:38 Alright guys, thank you so much for watching
10:41 and I will see you again soon.
10:43 Bye!
10:44 Bye!

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