Ask John: Why Are Western Weddings Common in Anime?

Question:
To the best of your knowledge, does Japanese society have a particular fascination with the concept of a “western-style” wedding – which may explain why it seems to show up quite a lot in anime (either in a character’s imagination, or as part of the actual story)? I’ve seen it appear quite a lot (way too many shows or series to list), and oddly enough, the characters depicted in the wedding scene are, more often that not, Japanese; so I’m curious why a traditional Japanese wedding isn’t depicted instead.

Answer:
Western style “white weddings” are actually quite common in Japan even though only an estimated 1% of Japanese natives are Christian. Western style weddings are quite popular in Japan because they’re aesthetically attractive, and they may be seen as progressive or contemporary compared to the staid traditionalism of a Shinto or Buddhist wedding ceremony. In some cases, certain select elements of a Western wedding may be incorporated into a Shinto or Buddhist wedding. And it’s also not uncommon for Asian couples (not limited to just Japan) to have two wedding ceremonies- one a Western style wedding, and one a traditional Asian wedding. Some of my own Chinese relatives have had back-to-back Western and Chinese style wedding ceremonies.

Especially in anime, I think that Western weddings are depicted more frequently than Shinto weddings because Western weddings are very theatrical and end with a dramatic kiss, throwing a bouquet of flowers, and confetti. In other words, Western style weddings are a lively, boisterous affair while a Shinto wedding is very solemn and reserved. With a visual medium like anime, a Western wedding is visually more dynamic and energetic, and creates an impression of a joyous marriage rather than a serious, solemn formal unity.