Shinto Wedding Ceremony Day

What Is Shinto Wedding Ceremony Day?

Every July 21st is "Shinto Wedding Ceremony Day" (神前結婚式の日, Shinzen Kekkonshiki no Hi) in Japan. On July 21, 1901, Hibiya Daijingu shrine (日比谷大神宮, today's Tokyo Daijingu, 東京大神宮) held the first Shinto wedding ceremony at a shrine for ordinary people. The day was established by Matsuyama Fumihiko, chief priest of Tokyo Daijingu, and registered with the Japan Anniversary Association in 2023. It has also long been known as "Shinzen Kekkon Kinenbi" (神前結婚記念日).

The history of the Shinto wedding traces back to May 10, 1900, when Crown Prince Yoshihito (later Emperor Taishō) married Kujō Sadako (later Empress Teimei) before the kami at the Kashikodokoro (賢所), the sanctuary within the Imperial Palace — the first imperial wedding held in this way. To commemorate it, Hibiya Daijingu began offering Shinto weddings to the public the following year, and the format spread to shrines across Japan.

The Shinzen Kekkon: A Modern Tradition

It may surprise many to learn that the Shinto wedding ceremony — which most Japanese associate with ancient tradition — is a relatively modern invention. Before the Meiji era, Japanese weddings were primarily private family affairs conducted at home, with no shrine involvement. The 1900 imperial ceremony and the public shrine weddings that Hibiya Daijingu began in 1901 created a new, shrine-based format that was codified and promoted as authentically "Japanese" through the Meiji and Taisho eras. The format — including the exchange of san-san-kudo (三々九度) sake cups, the miko (shrine maiden) attendants, and the white shiromuku bridal kimono — was institutionalized and spread to shrines across Japan.

Wedding Styles in Contemporary Japan

Japanese couples today choose from several wedding styles. Shinto shrine weddings (神前式) remain popular, particularly for couples who value tradition. Christian church weddings (キリスト教式), conducted in chapel settings regardless of the couple's faith, became highly fashionable from the 1980s onward. Buddhist temple weddings (仏前式) are a third option. Many couples hold a ceremony in one style and a separate reception (披露宴, hirōen) in a hotel or wedding venue.

The Japanese Wedding Industry

Japan's wedding industry is enormous and sophisticated, encompassing dedicated wedding venues (ブライダルハウス), wedding planners, bridal fashion houses (with both kimono and Western dress options), catering, photography, and honeymoon travel. According to industry surveys, the average Japanese wedding costs roughly 3 million yen or more, and the industry has evolved elaborate services catering to every aspect of the ceremony and celebration.

Fun Facts

• San-san-kudo: The central ritual of the Shinto wedding — in which bride and groom exchange three sips each from three sake cups of increasing size — symbolizes the bonding of two families as well as the couple.
• Shiromuku: The traditional white wedding kimono (白無垢, shiromuku) is often said to symbolize purity and the bride's readiness to be "colored" by her new family's traditions — a metaphor for adaptability and new beginnings.