The Wedding Outfits
The all-white silk wedding kimono dates back to the 'Edo' era (1700-1900) and the traditions of the brides of the samurai. White symbolizes both a new beginning and an end, because the bride "dies" as her father's daughter and is reborn a member of her husband's family. The bride traditionally wears her hair up, fastened by tortoise-shell combs. A white cloth and veil cover her head, and her face is painted creamy white. The bride changes several times, once to an ornate gold, silver and red robe embroidered with symbols on it such as cranes and flowers, and again to a deep-colored, highly patterned kimono usually reserved for young, unmarried women. This is the last time she will be able to wear this kimono. Irises are a beautiful choice for the Japanese American bride; the color purple is the color of love in Japan and was used at m,any an ancient wedding. The groom wears a black silk kimono with his family crest on it in white, in five different places. Under this kimono is a striped, pleated skirt, or hakama. The man would carry a white folded fan and wore white sandals. Many Japanese Americans still treasure kimonos handed down through the generations. Renting an outfit is quite expensive: One New York store charges upwards of $1,600, which includes the services of a professional to dress you.
The Ceremony
The traditional Shinto ceremony honors the 'kami', the spirits inherent in the natural world. After a purification ceremony using a special branch called the 'harai-gushi', the priest calls to the gods to bless the couple. The ceremony ends with a ritual sharing of sake from three flat cups stacked on top of one another. Popularly called 'san-san-kudo', this ritual can be performed any number of ways, depending on the family's customs. The groom may lead, taking three sips from the first cup, followed by the bride, who also takes three sips from the first cup. Then they move on to the second and third cups. The sake is then offered to the couple's families. In the U.S., Japanese Americans seeking a traditional ceremony turn to the country's Buddhist traditions. One highlight of the ceremony is the rosary, or 'o juju', which has 21 beads of two different colors. Eighteen beads represent the couple, two represent each family, and one represents the Buddha. Joined on one string, the beads symbolize the joining of the families. The san-san-kudo, more cultural than religious, is also performed at the Buddhist ceremony.The Food
Each dish in the Japanese wedding banquet is a symbolic wish--for happiness, prosperity, long life or many children. For example, 'konbu' is served because the word sounds like the last half of the word for joy, yorokobu. Fish can be served with the tail and head forced up from the plate forming a circle, the symbol of eternity. Clams are served with both shells together, the two halves symbolizing the couple. Lobster is often served for its deep red color, the color of luck. The number of courses never equals a multiple of four, since the word for four, 'shi', sounds like the word for death. For dessert, a Japanese bride might choose to serve 'komochi manjyu', which is made of
gummy, sweetened rice with fillings inside.
gummy, sweetened rice with fillings inside.
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