Kyoto 4K - Traditional Japanese Wedding Ceremony at Yasaka Shrine 八坂神社

A traditional Japanese wedding ceremony at the Yasaka Shrine in Kyoto.

Filmed on an iPhone 15 Pro Max in November 2023.

A Shinto wedding ceremony is typically a small affair, limited to family, while a reception is open to a larger group of friends.

Shinzen kekkon, literally "wedding before the kami," is a Shinto purification ritual that incorporates the exchange of sake between the couple before they are married. The ceremony typically takes 20 to 30 minutes. Food items, including salt, water, rice, sake, fruit, and vegetables, are left at a ceremonial wedding altar, which also holds the wedding rings. A Shinto priest stands to the right of the altar, while a shrine maiden, Miko, stands to the left. The couple will often stand in the center of the room, while closest family members stand behind tables containing sake and small fruits.

The priest will purify the shrine and call the attention of benevolent spirits, or kami. Then, the priest announces the beginning of the san-san-ku-do ceremony, or "three-three-nine-times," reflecting three oaths taken three times, represented by three cups, poured three times, and swallowed in three sips. This often includes three pourings from three cups of increasing sizes. The first, smallest cup, is first poured to the groom, who drinks from it before offering it to the bride. The second pouring goes first to the bride, then to the groom. The final pouring goes from the groom first, then the bride (essentially repeating the first pour). The sake aspect of the ceremony is said to be the core of a Shinto wedding. The ritual may have originated at samurai weddings, though the symbolism of the action and numbers has no clear origin. Some see the ritual as representative of sharing joys and sorrows as a married couple, others suggest that san-san is a homonym for "birth after birth," suggesting fertility symbolism. Still others suggest it represents man, woman, and child, or heaven, earth and man.

The couple approaches the altar, where the groom reads his vows while the bride listens. Reflecting a history of arranged marriage in Japan, a nakodo, or "matchmaker," will be thanked in the vows. If no matchmaker exists, a friend or family member will be appointed to fill the role, serving a role similar to the "best man" or "bridesmaid." Then, the families join in with the drinking of sake and a traditional cheer of "kanpai." In the final portion of the ceremony, the priest offers Japanese evergreen to the altar, said to reflect gratitude to the spirits who blessed the union. The bride and groom follow with their own offering, then a representative from each family (often the fathers of the bride and groom).The rings are then presented.

Within wedding prayers, the gods Izanagi and Izanami are often invoked. These married gods were part of the Japanese lore of the "first wedding," and are called upon to reflect a harmonious balance within the marriage. Other aspects of the Shinto wedding prayer include calling for the couple to work to maintain a respectful home, and for the couple to have children.

#神前結婚 #yasakashrine #kyotowalk #八坂神社

00:00 Entering the Yasaka Shrine
02:04 Wedding Ceremony Procession preparation
03:40 Wedding Procession
06:50 Shinto Wedding Ceremony
18:00 Exchange of Rings
19:30 Other Goings on at the Shrine
20:45 End of the Ceremony
25:15 Exit Procession