Sunday, July 30th, 1989

Note:  This is a series of journal entries from my two years living in Himeji, Japan (1988-1990).  I'm archiving them electronically through my blog.  Last names have been deleted and replaced with first initial only.  For details on this series of blog entries, see this post.

Not much to say about last week.  Summer vacation has started, so not much happens...I'll touch on the highlights...

Tuesday I went to Sannomiya with the M's to show them around.  We ate at Gaylords.

Thursday I met Machiko-san at school and we began working on our paper.  It's going to be difficult, because we have about 50 different directions to go...

Yesterday I met Kimberly at Sannomiya Station and we went to the Kobe New Oriental Hotel.  We ate lunch at Central Station, shopped a little, then went to the church nearby, for Akira and Hiroko's wedding.  What an event!

First there was a ceremony at the church.  It was very nice.  Hiroko had lots of flowers in her hair, and a white dress.  Akira wore a tuxedo with tails.

After the ceremony was pictures and tea and sandwiches next door.

After that was a 2 hour break.  Kimberly & I went shopping at OPA.

At 4:00 was the reception at the hotel.  It was awesome!

We ate a 7 course dinner.  The table was very intimidating!  4 knives, 5 glasses, 3 spoons, 4 forks, etc.  We had lobster, steak, cake, salad, etc.

The wedding cake was about 6 feet tall, and the bride and groom cut it, but to the guests were brought little boxes with pieces of cake in them to take home.  (There was other cake with the meal.)

Through the course of the evening Hiroko changed 3 times.  1st, into a wedding kimono, then into a purple & black ball gown with a tiara.  She looked wonderful!  Akira wore a wedding kimono, then a tuxedo.

When Hiroko came in in the white dress, she & Akira went to each table & lit the candle on each table, then the main candle.

Various people gave speeches or sang (I sang "We are an Offering").  Mr. S. was the "Nakodo" (representative of the groom) and his wife was for Hiroko.

The grooms niece & nephew brought the bride & groom flowers, and the bride & groom had speeches read to their parents, then gave them flowers.

After the reception the gifts for the guests were brought out.  We all got a German cake, and 2 tea cups & saucers (Givency Paris).

I wore a wool suit, and sweat like a pig all day!  This wedding cost a fortune (in flowers & food alone!)!