Cross Cultural Management

Group

 When it comes to wedding traditions, the Japanese is one of the most colorful cultures.

Arranged marriages

marriages in Japan were arranged by the parents of the man and woman. A mutual friend would be the matchmaker. Once both families agreed upon the match, they would meet at a formal dinner on a day that the Japanese almanac deemed auspicious." After the dinner,"Yui-no" (engagement) gifts, meant to symbolize happiness and fortune, were exchanged.

 A "hakama" is a skirt that was given to the groom-tobe. It represented fidelity. "Naga-Noshi" is abalone shell which is frequently used in Japan for crafts and gifts. It was meant to express the sincere wishes of the gift giver. Money "Katsuo-bushi" is dried bonito, a very valuable preserved food ingredient that was used to make soup stock. It expressed the wish that the couple would have a lasting marriage. "Surume" is dried cuttlefish, symbolic of good wish to the couple for a lasting marriage. "Konbu," is known for its ability to breed. It expresses the wish that the couple have happy and healthy children.

"Shiraga" is hemp. It is an exceedingly strong fiber and is used to symbolise wishes for strong family ties. "Shiraga" is literally traslates as "white hair." It is an appropriate gift to wish the couple a long and happy married life. "Suehiro" is a fan that opens end to end and, therefore symbolizes wishes for happiness and a bright and happy future for the couple. "Yanagi-daru," a wine cask. Instead of this traditonal gift the couple may be given a cash gift which would be used to purchase traditonal "sake" (rice wine). "Sake" casks are exchanged at the engagement dinner.

Schedule
The most popular time of year for Japanese weddings is spring, with June being the first choice. Couples will try to select a tomobiki day on which to schedule their nuptials. Tomobiki, which means drawing friends, is considered the most auspicious day for a wedding. These days are calculated according to the ancient Japanese calendar and, because they are select dates, must be booked well in advance.

Ceremony Locations
Traditional Japanese wedding ceremonies are either Buddhist or Shinto

The religious Shinto ceremony is held at a shrine. Shinto, literally translated as"the way of the gods" Shinto shrines are places of worship and considered to be the dwellings of the kami, or Shinto gods. Sacred objects of worship that represent the kami are stored out of sight in the innermost chamber. The shrine is where people visit to pay their respects to the gods and pray the gift of good fortune. They are, therefore " Logical " places to hold a wedding ceremony. In Japan today, the shine may be moved into the venue at which the reception will take place.

Wedding Attire
Both the bride and the groom wear the traditional kimono for the ceremony The bride's traditional wedding costume is called a shiro-muku, a white silk "undergarment" that meaning literally "white pure," a kimono she will usually wear at the beginning of the ceremony

Japanese Wedding Ceremony

Ceremony-Service
In a traditional wedding, a Shinto priest conducts the ceremony which is attended only by immediate family. The traditional Japanese musical accompaniment consists of flutes and is performed by artists called "ga ga ku". The marriage of two people in traditional Japanese culture is not the union between a man and a woman, but the blending of two families. This is particularly evident when the bride and groom exchange vows.

 An older couple, called Nakoudo, is responsible for managing the wedding.

They are seated by the couple. The bridal couple, dressed in traditional kimonos, is purified, drinks sake, and the groom reads the words of commitment. The priest reads the wedding contract. Rice wine, called nihonshu or sake is the general Japanese terms for alcohol

 At the end of the sake ceremony, both families drink a cup of sake, which represents the union of the bride and groom and unification of the two families. Drinking the wine is a sign that the marriage vows are sealed. An exchange of wedding rings is a modern practice that is popular today. At the close of the ceremony, symbolic offerings are given to the kami, this offering consists of three small twigs of Sakaki, a sacred tree.

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