From its state-of-the-art metropolitan centers, to anime and the fashion of Harajuku, innovation and originality are abundant in modern Japan, but the most remarkable aspects of the country's culture are its ancient traditions. As June - the most popular month for weddings - approaches, it brings with it a great opportunity for lovers of the rich, traditional culture of Japan: a traditional shinto-style wedding designed especially for non-Japanese couples at Kyoto's oldest shrine.
Kyoto's Kamigamo Shrine, with its thousand-year history, has been featured in some of Japan's famous classic literary works such as The Tale of Genji and The Pillow Book and has been designated as a World Heritage Site. Recently, it is becoming increasingly common to see foreign couples living in Japan and from around the world getting married at this ancient shrine. What's remarkable about these weddings is that they are conducted in an authentic shinzen style that honors the rites of Shinto, Japan's indigenous religion, as couples take their vows in traditional wedding attire such as a pure-white kimono and hakama.
You might expect that, for couples not only living overseas but also those in Japan living far from Kyoto, having an authentic Japanese wedding ceremony at the prestigious Kamigamo Shrine would be a major production involving serious logistical headaches. This is not the case, however, with a special wedding package, the Ultimate Wedding Ceremony by Hotel Granvia Kyoto, which provides thorough planning and support services.
The package includes the following services: three nights in a Junior Suite Room including breakfast, hairstyling and dress fitting for the bride and groom, the wedding ceremony at Kamigamo Shrine and a special dinner following the ceremony. The schedule on the last day is completely open and guests can go on a sight-seeing trip in and around Kyoto. "We have a team that specializes in international guest services that caters to detailed client requests with advance planning communications via e-mail and phone. So our guests feel reassured and relaxed by the time they arrive at the hotel," says Ms. Chie Ikoma, international marketing representative for Hotel Granvia Kyoto. Although all-inclusive, the hotel is happy to accommodate individual requests and customized details in order to create a one-of-a-kind experience for couples. "Our goal is to take care of any concerns the guests may have and eliminate any issues before they arrive at our door."
On the day before the ceremony, the couple receives a hairstyling consultation and a wedding attire fitting, as well as a brief run-through of the wedding ceremony procedures. An English-speaking junior Shinto priest, who conducts the ceremony, provides an introduction and commentary in English before and even during the ceremony. The bride and groom, as well as their guests, seem to appreciate this service greatly, as it provides them with a deeper understanding of the authentic shinzen-style wedding ceremony.
After the ceremony, the couple returns to the hotel's exquisite private dining room "Shiokoji Rakusui" for a traditional celebratory kaiseki dinner. On the last day, guests can spend a full day strolling on the streets and enjoying the many attractions of the ancient city of Kyoto in their free time.
Designated a World Heritage Site, the shrine's rich, fabled history offers the most wonderful and romantic backdrop for the day you and your loved one embark on your lifelong journey together. "I pledge an eternal vow of love to you in this place of a thousand years of history"─ such is the oath the bride and groom take together at Kamigamo Shrine, a sacred, cultural fixture of Kyoto for more than a millennium.
