Japanese Wedding Dress

Will's BOE asked if we wanted to have wedding photos taken, in traditional Japanese style. We both thought this would be a very interesting thing to take part in, and as I love dressing up, we agreed.

Upon arriving in the photo studio, we were ushered upstairs and given the usual complementary coffee and sweets. After sipping and munching for about 10 minutes, the wardrobe lady arrived, bearing rather large cases in hand. An excited Yuri was taken into the dressing room.

Let me tell you, I very much admire Japanese ladies of long ago who had to wear fancy kimono on a daily basis, or at all. The bride's regalia includes the shiro-maku, a white kimono worn during the ceremony, and the uchikake, an elaborately coloured and embroidered brocade coat worn over the shiro-maku during the reception.

First, I had to don a light, simple robe that tied around the waist. Then I was sat down at a small makeup table and my hair was skinned back into a net so that a wig could later be fitted over it. Then my face, neck, upper back and hands were painted a sort of pale peach. After that came the under kimono, or hiyoku.

At this point, I did nothing but stand with my arms out to the side. The hiyoku was heavy enough in itself, with a stiff collar and long sleeves. The lady tied it around my waist then started to add all sorts of padding to my chest, waist and back. To keep this padding in place, she draped a sort of bib around my chest and back which velcroed to security. Once this was done, the real kimono was put on me, this one even heavier than the hiyoku. More tying and padding followed, then a cover, meant to be the obi (the main sash tied around the waist) was tied around the waist and gave one the charming feeling of being suffocated. This must be what corsets felt like. The knot of the obi was placed on my back and it was heavy. I can't imagine what it would've felt like to have the full length of a real obi tied around my waist and knotted at my back.

I was asked to sit again, but had to wait for someone to carry my dress while I waddled over to the stool. The wardrobe lady untied two more cases which opened to show elaborate wigs in traditional Japanese hairstyle, known was bunkin takashimada. I can only explain it as consisting of lots of puffs and wax. The first wig was too small and caused some whimpering and twitching on my part. The second was a little too big but no one could tell. Once secured, hair ornaments were slipped in it looked great. Or as great as it could on my rather round face. However I now know why Japanese ladies might've looked demurely at the ground while they walked. It wasn't subservience, no, it was that they had a veritable anvil to balance on their heads and the only way to feel comfortable was to look at the ground.

I was helped up and waited for the lady to gather my skirts before I could walk to the photo room. There, to my delight and dismay (its heavy and hot!), the beautiful uchikake, was put over my 2 layers of robes. More hair ornaments followed. I looked like someone else entirely. In full bridal costume I couldn't draw a deep breath, and my neck and back were starting to ache. How brides could/can walk around all day in this garb is beyond me. I myself couldn't walk without help (meaning someone picking up my skirt) and even then the kimono restricted the movement of my legs so that I walked like a toddler. But it was good fun to be dressed and made up. Kind of makes you feel like a princess. Kind of also makes you feel sorry for said princesses.

I'd estimate that I took about an hour to get ready. Will took about 10 minutes. I also discovered that wedding photos actually mean photos of the bride. The man is shifted in occasionally but just as soon shooed away so that more solitary photos of a fabulously adorned woman can be snapped. Will referred to himself as a kind of "garnish" to my photographs. He'd have to wait while I was posed then two women would work to place my skirts, sleeves, head and hands just so. When this was done, he could step in.

The men dress in a kind of "tuxedo" kimono called haori-hakama. This consists of blue and white striped pants and then a black, gold-dotted formal long robe on top (not huge polka dots, small evenly-spaced dots). A white, feathery ball is hung between the lapels of the robe, the meaning of which eludes me. Unfortunately, I only have a picture of me available which accompanies this post.

I thoroughly enjoyed the experience but am glad I only have to do it once! Cheers all.

p.s. For some photos that white cloth you see was draped over my hair. It's called the tsuno kakushi. It was meant to symbolize "obedience" during the wedding ceremony. Heh heh, right.