There were lots of weddings going on at Meiji Jingu on Saturday. This one strolled right in front of me, and so I couldn't resist getting a picture of the nakodo leading the bride and groom to the start of the ceremony.
The hat, at this stage of the wedding ceremony is more like a white brocade fabric hood. This dates back to the arranged marriage tradition - where a bride would likely not have known/seen her husband before marriage. The woman holding her hand is likely the "nakodo" - the "go between" who, traditionally would have arranged the marriage between the two families. Now it might be a favorite auntie, or even your mother playing this role. (Though arranged marriage still exists in Japan.) The hood is so upright because the bride is wearing an elaborate traditional updo - as brides do during the Shinto/kimono portion of their wedding day. It's big black lacquered hair with hair ornaments (with varying symbolism) stuck in it. It's heavy, and probably heaped about 8 inches high above her head. (And it's not all her own hair. It's a wig. Brides can have short hair and still do this fancy updo..)
Although this bride is having a Shinto ceremony, probably the next step in the day will be a "chapel wedding" at the hotel where her reception is being held. So, the next photo op will be her in a big white western-style wedding dress. As the saying goes: "Japanese are born Shinto, married Christian and die Bhuddist".
2 comments:
This is great. I'm so glad that every culture on the planet hasn't adopted western wedding traditions.
How exactly is the bride's hat made? Is it on some kind of frame?
The hat, at this stage of the wedding ceremony is more like a white brocade fabric hood. This dates back to the arranged marriage tradition - where a bride would likely not have known/seen her husband before marriage. The woman holding her hand is likely the "nakodo" - the "go between" who, traditionally would have arranged the marriage between the two families. Now it might be a favorite auntie, or even your mother playing this role. (Though arranged marriage still exists in Japan.)
The hood is so upright because the bride is wearing an elaborate traditional updo - as brides do during the Shinto/kimono portion of their wedding day. It's big black lacquered hair with hair ornaments (with varying symbolism) stuck in it. It's heavy, and probably heaped about 8 inches high above her head. (And it's not all her own hair. It's a wig. Brides can have short hair and still do this fancy updo..)
Although this bride is having a Shinto ceremony, probably the next step in the day will be a "chapel wedding" at the hotel where her reception is being held. So, the next photo op will be her in a big white western-style wedding dress. As the saying goes: "Japanese are born Shinto, married Christian and die Bhuddist".
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