New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-09-26
4 JAPANESE WEDDING.
A REPRODUCTION LAST NIGHT OF THE
CEREMONY AS PERFORMED IN
FLOwERY KINGDOM

The GSrute little OF the tiOTeTy Kingdom
who acts press agent for the japanese show at
the Madison Square Garden said il was real we'd
ding the stage there last night: that the bride
Miss Haua Mujako, who has been going TO
school somewhere in New-Engand. and that the
bridegroom. Kingoro shirai. has been going 70
school somewhere in New-York.'' learning be
an engineer. He further stated that both were OF
ancient but Impoverished families in Japan, and
account Of their impecuniosity consented TO enter
into the nuptial state thus publicly being induced
thereto by percentage OF the gate receipts.
At all events, the ceremonial was interesting as
reproduction approximately correct, OF a japanese
wedding
A japanese marriage is wholly civil function.
and no priest or religious rite is employed in It.
The nokodos act in the capacity Of priests. or.
rather. masters Of ceremonies. The. nokodos are,
vulgarly speaking the whole thing" taking prece-
dsnce Of the parents and almost of the contracting
parties themselves. The nokodos the "gobe-
tweens-' There are always two Of thern-a man
for the and for the woman They
responsible for the marriage. They have ar
ranged il from the beginning and the bride and
bridegroom ara closely attended by them the end
Of the ceremony
THE BRIDES GOWN
The stage. with its wealth Of paper cherry bios
SONS. represented the home OF the bridegroom.
The japanese tden Of marriage is that the bride
Is given TO the bridegroom. Therefore she is taken
by her friends 10 his house where the ceremony
with her nokodo. her father and mother and all
her friends and attendants. as many as the man
sgement was able to muster In Japan there are
often two or three hundred Of them. many Of
them hired for the occasion When there are so
many that they cannot get into the house they
stay in the yard and aid in the reioicings
The train came, bringing presents for the BRIDE
kitchen utensils and such furniture is used in
japanese house anything else that 2 bride
and young housekeeper might be supposed 70 care
fnl hV=z
costume. a kTnono Of red silk crepe, with long
tu1ain, embroidered in special way with plum
Inc plum blossoms signify purity. and the cranes
6no torJoises long life
HE SENDS HER sASHES
No one was waiting welcome the bride 10 her
future home, for it not until after she and
her train were fairly established that the bride
groom appeared with his nokodo and parents and
uain His friends brought presents Tor him also
out they were mostly articles OF personal adorn-
wedding presents 10 each other Some time before
ne wedding they make exchange of presents
Western nations The man sends the girl sashes
eao she SENDS him the "kami shimo' the man 5
After the fances had met in the centre of the
place The marriage vine Guns are srfjsffcaIII,
made Of lacquer, in the highest style Of Japanese
ano tortoises They are made after peculiar pat
IeTn: and filled with sah (rice wine) The nokodos
iaIhg the cup is presented first 10 the bride.
Sl!o orlnks then TO the bridegroom and then TO
nony- After they have drunk together they are
5n@zTTleo-a very intense form of very old and
ing together.
n the old Jewish wedding ceremony the same
Ieature occurred. but the Jews broke the wine
cups The japanese on the contrary, preserve them
with great care. and the cups
serve many succeeding generations Of the same
family.
Then, at the real Japanese wedding there IS
feasung and dancing for hours On the stage last
night there was no Teasing. and they danced for
only few minutes
The Japanese marriage dance is a most curious
performance for those who dc not understand IL
Like the dance Of the Pueblo Indians of the South
west II Always acts out story. which the natives
Understand perfectly well The wedding dance is
cai!eq 1ahasago, and tells the story of a mythical
married couple who lived happily together that
they became the models and patron saints of All
married couples Not all japanese know all the
canoes, but there are always some among the wed
ding guests who know the marriage dance and
dance II for the edifcation OF rest Sometimes
wealthy people engage accomplished geisha girls
Tor the evening, which is always the time Of day
when japanese weddings occur.