Weddings in Japan are for close relatives and good friends only, so it is not like Korea where practically anyone shows up. Living in Japan I have had the chance to attend a few, and this time I got to go to a traditional one.

Ieyasu-kun

Ieyasu-kun, the Shizuoka mascot, in his Christmas version. The wedding was out in the provinces, so I arrived at the hotel the day before, and this is what they were selling.

Shizuoka the next morning

No tall buildings, so the view is wide open.

The ceremony

Hmm.. it was my first Japanese-style wedding, and it was very solemn. If you want a wedding that feels special, a traditional one seems like a fine choice. I will skip the detailed explanation.

After the traditional ceremony we moved to the reception hall, and the reception was no different from a regular wedding. The bride and groom changed into a dress and tuxedo and made their entrance. In a way you could say the reception is the main event of a Japanese wedding. Lots of friends bring all sorts of prepared performances. Part two of the wedding goes on with drinks and food, laughter and a few tears of emotion.

Food at the reception

Fresher than I expected. Thinking of the food at Korean wedding halls brings tears to my eyes.

Ise-ebi (spiny lobster)

I am not sure whether all the countless Ise-ebi used for weddings are really Ise-ebi, but anyway, it was delicious.

Uni chawanmushi

Quite a few dishes made with luxurious ingredients.

Dessert

A rather unusual dessert. You pour something like matcha extract over the cotton-candy part and eat it, and the idea was pretty good.

Grilled sazae (turban shell) skewers

Bought these at a highway rest stop on the way back, and they were better than expected.

Mt. Fuji

The weather was clear, so Mt. Fuji was in plain view. The area around Mt. Fuji is high up, and in bad weather visibility gets seriously bad, but on a clear day you get a truly magnificent view. Leaving that beautiful scenery behind, we finished the trip safely.

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