Shinto wedding
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Shinto weddings, Shinzen kekkon, Shinzenkekkon, began in Japan during the early 20th century, popularized after the marriage of Crown Prince Yoshihito and his bride, Princess Kujo Sadako. The ceremony
A Shinto wedding ceremony.
Japanese formal wedding kimono shiromuku
A bride at a Shinto wedding shows her wig and tsuno-kakushi headdress.
An illustration of the first contemporary Shinto wedding ceremony, the 1900 marriage of Crown Prince Yoshihito and Princess Kujo Sadako.
Miko
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A miko, or shrine maiden, is a young priestess who works at a Shinto shrine. Miko were once likely seen as shamans, but are understood in modern Japanese culture to be an institutionalized role in dai
Shinto wedding
…are left at a ceremonial wedding altar, which also holds the wedding rings. A Shinto priest stands to the right of the altar, while a shrine maiden, Miko, stands to the left. The couple will often stand in the center of the room, while closest family members stand behind tables containing sake and small…
Modern miko in Meiji Shrine, Tokyo, in 2000
Miko perform Shinto ceremony near the Kamo River in 2006
Miko (c. 1895) in ceremonial costume, including torikabuto (tall phoenix hat), purple cording, tabard, long robe with train and large hand fan
Original lithograph book plate with caption