What to wear and what to bring

 1. What to wear

Traditional Japanese weddings are a formal event. As part of the ceremony and party, we will be entering the heart of the Tenmangu shrine which is not accessible by the public. This temple is considered holy and sacred. Hence, please dress appropriately.

Since it's rather particular with many do's and dont's, here are some guidelines on what is and what is not considered appropriate. Keep in mind that these are the (unwritten) rules the Japanese guests will follow. Neither we nor the Japanese guests expect non-Japanese to follow or beware of all of these rules. However, if you want to leave a particularly cultured and well-versed first impression, make sure to read and abide by the following rules :) 

What's generally considered appropriate to wear:

- Men: Western formal attire, i.e. suit and tie. Dark colour, such as black or dark blue.

- Women: Western formal attire. Or Kimono.

What NOT to wear or do:

- Men: Light coloured suits such as all-grey or all-white. No black ties and not all-black (e.g. black suit, black shirt), since all-black is worn at funerals only. Ideally no wrist watch.

- Women (for clothing): No uni-coloured black, white or red clothing, neither for Western dresses nor for Kimono. White and red are reserved exclusively for the bride, and all-black clothing is usually only worn at funerals. If you have a black dress but plan to wear something on top with a different colour (and don't plan to take that off at one point), that is fine, it should just simply not be all-black what you're wearing. Clothing should not reveal a lot of skin such as cleavage, showing your shoulders, or short skirts. No black tights, but at the same time also not showing the skin of the legs directly either (e.g. light-coloured or skintone-coloured tights are fine).

-Women (for accessories): No fur bags, no real leather bags, no animal prints. Bringing something made of dead animals to a wedding is considered bad luck. If you have a bigger bag (e.g. bigger than a clutch), please drop it off at the cloakroom and do not bring it to the ceremony and party.

If you are unsure if what you plan to wear is appropriate or not, we're happy to help you out. Just reach out to us!

Keep in mind that it is Japanese custom to take off shoes when entering certain places, particularly the shrine. You will have to take off your shoes for the ceremony before we enter the sacred inner shrine, so plan accordingly with your socks and shoes. There is a large shoe shelf where you'll be able to put (and lock away) your shoes.

If any of our female guests are interested in wearing a Japanese traditional Kimono: Kimono rental is possible (and common) and we can help you in organising it. Keep in mind that at the location itself, you cannot rent Kimonos for guests though. That means that if you want to wear a traditional Japanese Kimono, you'll have to plan to go somewhere else to get dressed (you cannot wear a Kimono by yourself - you need a professional to help you put it on), and then come to Tenmangu shrine. There are dressing rooms available for all guests at the location, but as said, you need a professional to put it on. Renting usually starts around 20.000 Yen (~130 Euros) for basic Kimonos and will depend on the pattern and material of Kimono you choose to wear. We're happy to help you out if you want to wear a Kimono :) 

2. What to Bring

Most importantly, and we cannot stress this enough: We DO NOT WANT ANY GIFTS!! :) If you make the long and onerous journey to be with us on this special day, you've gifted us more than we could ever hope for.

There's nothing you really need to bring to the wedding: From drinks to food to entertainment, everything's taken care of.

There's a cloakroom with staff available, so you can drop off any potential luggage or coats you have. Additionally, there are guest changing rooms available, so if you prefer, you can get changed at the location directly.