What do Japanese Brides Wear?

Answer:  it depends.  We'll split our answer into two sections:  Traditional Bridal Kimono and the Modern Japanese Bride.  In either case, the bride would be dressed by a professional, with many underlayers and accessories, but the primary kimono pieces are described below.

Traditional Bridal Kimono

If a Japanese couple decides to have a Shinto ceremony, the groom will wear the formal kimono-hakama-haori ensemble (see image below) and the bride will wear white, including: 

-a white shiro-kakeshita kimono (like the shiromuku but lighter weight with a smaller padding at the hem), tied with a white obi
-a white shiromuku kimono, worn open (without an obi), with a thick padding at the hem.  Traditionally this is made with white, ivory or cream tone-on-tone jacquard silk.  Modern versions might have a subtle trim color at the hem or an iridescence in the fabric, and common motifs are cranes, pine, peacocks, noshi ribbons, dowry carts, and fans.
-a white tsunokakushi, which is a wide, white headdress or  hood which covers her elaborate wig or hairstyle.  Tsuno means "horns" and the headpiece represents a covering of any "horns of jealousy" a bride might have, so that she may enter her new home with openness and obedience.

If the couple decides to have a Buddhist ceremony or for the reception party even if there is no religious ceremony at all, the groom would wear the same formal kimono-hakama-haori ensemble but the bride would wear a more elaborately designed and very colorful kimono:

-an iro-kakeshita,  with long (furisode) sleeves, a slight red padding at the hem, and a very colorful and festive design.  Often the patterning will sweep from the hemline upwards towards the sleeves and shoulders, leaving a less-patterned section at the waist, which would be covered by the obi when worn for the ceremony.  A formal maru-style obi would be worn with a kakeshita.

-an  uchikake, which is often a colorful, very elaborately designed kimono in a heavy brocade or complicated embroidery and painted patterning.  The sleeves are quite long and there is a thick red padding at the hem.  The uchikake is worn open (without an obi) over top of either a white or colorful kakeshita.

-There is no headpiece worn with the uchikake, though the bride would wear either a wig or have her own hair styled in a top knot style, often with delicate hair accessories.

 Modern Japanese Bride

Modern Japanese weddings retain many of the traditional rituals, though like elsewhere around the world, some elements are new. In the 1960's, Japanese weddings began to incorporate non-Japanese  features, such as white wedding dresses, chapel ceremonies (see link below), and even "destination weddings".  A contemporary Japanese wedding can often include up to three events, not including the rehearsal dinner!

It is not unusual for a Japanese couple to have a Shinto ceremony, a Buddhist Ceremony, and a Christian-style ceremony at a chapel.  Thankfully, there is usually only one reception!

For each of these types of ceremonies, the bride wears something special.  As discussed above, she wears a shiromuku ensemble for the Shinto Ceremony and an uchikake ensemble for a Buddhist ceremony or for the reception.  For the chapel ceremony, she wears a western-style white wedding gown and the groom will usually wear a tuxedo.  The bride often has an additional costume change for the reception, where she dons a formal or cocktail dress.

As you may suspect,  these Japanese wedding ensembles can be quite expensive, and purchasing a wedding kimono is not often done for three main reasons:  (1) the cost of purchasing is easily in the thousands of dollars, (2) Japanese houses are small and there is little room to store them, and (3) they are not valued as heirloom items - unlike in the West where a daughter may want to wear her mother's wedding gown,  in Japan this is just not done.  So most modern Japanese couples rent their wedding attire including the formal kimono ensembles worn by their immediate families. 

Related Video:

How To Plan a Japanese Wedding

Japanese Wedding

Find More Info Here:

Traditional Japanese Weddings

Japan Zone: Customs

Wikipedia: Uchikake Dress

About Western-style Japanese Weddings

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