Japanese –Shinto

Shinto (the mystical or divine) is the name given to the religious beliefs and social customs indigenous to Japan. The wedding ceremony is an elaborate ritual interwoven with Japanese culture & tradition. It is usually small & private.

The Shinto priest cleanses and blesses the 4 corners of the room and covers the floor with rice paper before the couple enters. As they sit or kneel before the priest, he recites Shinto prayers.

The high point of the ceremony is the three, three, nine times, in which the bride and groom share sips of sake from each of three lacquered cups. This three-times-three ritual symbolizes luck and happiness and solemnizes the marriage.

Following is a large group of family and friends at a banquet where toasts are made and stories told about the couple. The bride will change from a wedding robe into a colorful gown or kimono. At the end she may even change again into a white Western-style wedding dress.

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