Wedding Ceremony
1)Leaving Home
Early in the morning of the wedding, Masako takes leave of her parents at the entrance of her home in Meguro Ward, Tokyo.
2)Kekkon-no-gi
The Crown Prince and Masako wore the traditional costumes dating from the Heian Period (794-1192) for their wedding ceremony at the Imperial Palace.
The crown Prince and Crown Princess exit from their wedding ceremony which took place in the Kashikodokoro, one of the three shrines of the Imperial Palace. The Kashikodokoro is dedicated to the Sun Goddess Amaterasu, the mythical ancestress of the Imperial Family. The Crown Prince wore a traditional costume (
ōninohō) and carried a wooden scepter for the occasion, while the Crown Princess was attired in a ceremonial robe (
jūnihitoe) worn by the court ladies. After paying their respects in the Kashikodokoro, the Crown Prince read out a pledge and the couple sipped nuptial cups of sake. The Crown Prince and Crown Princess then worshipped and reported their marriage at the other two shrines—the Koreiden (enshrining the spirits of the successive emperors) and the Shinden (dedicated to all the gods and goddesses of the Shinto pantheon).
3)Chōken-no-gi
The Crown Prince and Crown Princess reported their marriage to the Emperor and Empress who, in accordance with tradition, did not attend the wedding ceremony. The Emperor and Empress then gave their blessing to the newlyweds and joined them in a toast to cement the new family relationship.
4)Heading for Home
Following the wedding ceremony and
chōken-no-gi, the newlyweds leave the Imperial Palace for the start of a 4.25-kilometer parade to their residence in Akasaka.
5)Imperial Motorcade
From a car travelling at 10km/hr, the couple wave to enthusiastically cheering crowd lining the route to Akasaka.