So glad that we made the decision to take the later Shinkansen to Kyoto on our last day, in Tokyo (Sunday), and followed our plans to visit the beautiful Meiji jingū (明治 神宮) shrine, first of all we had a wonderful sunny day, one of the few and we also strike lucky with the weddings, one after the other. Meiji jingū is a Shinto shrine.
Shinto has no founder, no holy book, and not even the concept of religious conversion, but Shinto values for example harmony with nature.
The Japaneses people are very flexible in their worship and religions, they use them all …. what ever they feel for there and then. Just as it should be.
Madhu@The Urge To Wander gave me the tip about the temple and the park … and about that is’t a very popular place for weddings. So popular that it became a bit too much for me in the end … every 20 min there was a new wedding procession, but no doubt about it – those weddings is truly eye-candy. There was always some christenings.
The park itself is an area of 700,000 m2 and it was founded in November, 1920 – it’s a park created by the people. When Emperor Meiji passed away in 1912 and Empress Shoken in 1914. After their passing, people wished to commemorate their virtues and to venerate them forever. So they donated 100,000 trees from all over Japan and from overseas, and they worked voluntarily to create this forest, today a National Park.
A Shinto wedding cost around Y2,000,000/$17.000 – only the wedding kimono can cost Y400.000/$3.350. It seams that is quite popular for American couples to get married in Japan, but it’s a fair amount of work involved. What I understand is it a Japanese custom that the wedding guests gives contributions to the wedding, so some weddings can even make a profit. I think that is a fantastic custom.
The red umbrella is very symbolic of Japanese weddings. The color red in Japan means life and wards off evils and the umbrella itself keeps the bride dry if it happens to be raining or protects her from strong sun.
Before leaving the shrine I did my Kiganbun, a Kiganbun is a letter to the deities. It may contain wishes or words of gratitude, and it may be written in any language. Most of you know that I’m not a believer as such – but at the Meiji jingū it felt right for me to express my thankfulness, even if my spellings is what it’s.
“Blasa ” (Lovley) preformed by YAE – is one popular Japanese popular wedding songs today – was lucky to find it on Soundcloud, but I don’t know if it’s YAE that sings on this track.
“Oh I don’t mind going to weddings,
just as long as it’s not my own…”
Tom Waits
With the final writing at the Meiji Jingu, You truly have made the journey complete Viveka, Such a beautiful place..
Andy, in a way I have …. or maybe it’s the beginning of many journeys. It is a fantastic park … that has become a forest and planted by ordinary people in honor of their beloved Emperor and his wife.
That kind of devotion from the people, wish all countries followed this 🙂
Andy, I wish so too …. but we can start with ourselves – to be more tolerant and to show more respect.
mmm true very true
A truly beautiful ending, Viveka! And thank you for beutiful card and greetings!
My pleasure,A-C! It was a great finish on our Tokyo days. Think I have about 3500 images to work through.
Wow – now you know what to do for a week or two…
Thank you for all that interesting information as well as the lovely photographs.
Laura, I’m not good with information … but I’m good on finding links that gives information. Thanks for your lovely comment.
You still conveyed that information so you still get credit.
🙂 Oh, Wivi, you always manage to touch my heart!
Beautiful pictures – lovely Kinganbun!
XO 🙂
Before I forget: THANK YOU so much for the post cards! The second one already arrived! xoxoxo
Wow, that was fast … HK cards was very slow. My pleasure, girlfriend.
XOXOXO
Never can resist a wedding so I had to take a peak at these! Beautiful, Vivi! 🙂 It sounds a great philosophy. More hugs! 🙂
Welcome home … wonderful to have you back. I hope you have a fantastic tan. *smile Hug and one more.
Not a bad tan for 8 days 🙂 🙂
I’m sure you look just amazing …. how was Poland???
Back from the Algarve yesterday. Poland next Thursday, just for a week 🙂
Okay, sorry … I thought you did Poland before Algarve . Got that all wrong. I’m sure it will be nice weather in Poland too, but then. We have a grey day again today, but at least it’s dry.
I’m writing my daffodil walk for tomorrow. 🙂 Are you catching up with the ‘real world’ again? Feeling ok- you and the ass? (and the ankles!) Bright sun this morning but wet yesterday. Happy Sunday hugs! 🙂 🙂
Jo. the heated toilet seats in Japan … that played music – my sorry ass really loves Japan, but they also rinse you and that created problem for my bum … it was so lovely with the warm water … but it gave me server pain. I’m in a vacuum just now, I don’t really want to deal with the real world. It was very close that I had stayed for another week and gone to Nagasaki. Tomorrow the real world kicks in … laundry … laundry … laundry … a paying bills. Sunday hugs coming here >>>>>
I hate the ‘real world’ 😦 I was there yesterday but I’m back in a bubble today. Hang on to your dreams 🙂
Me too …. let us stay in our bubbles so long as possible- you will enter a new one soon … and I will in the end of May when I go back to Istanbul.
Wonderful way to end your trip. Beautiful weather, the privilege of witnessing 4 weddings and a thoughtful message from the amazing Viveka.
Viveka, what lovely snapshots of the temple and its ceremonies! Have missed so much of your Japan posts. Hope to catch up soon. Thank you for the mention 🙂
Thank you, Madhu …. it was all down to your posts about Japan that I found out about this park. We had a fantastic day … no rain.