Key facts
- Japan is seeing a rise in foreign couples choosing the country for wedding ceremonies.
- Ceremony locations include traditional gardens in Kyoto and Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo.
- Californian couple Ben and Ariella Jacoby married near Lake Kawaguchi with Mount Fuji as a backdrop in spring 2023.
- The couple planned their Orthodox Jewish ceremony themselves in under three months.
Japan is becoming an increasingly popular destination for foreign couples seeking to hold their wedding ceremonies, drawn by the allure of unique local settings. From the serene traditional gardens of Kyoto to the iconic, bustling Shibuya Scramble Crossing in Tokyo, these locations offer a distinct atmosphere for nuptials. This growing trend presents new opportunities for Japan's bridal industry, which faces a backdrop of declining domestic marriage rates. Californians Ben and Ariella Jacoby exemplify this trend, having chosen to marry near Lake Kawaguchi with Mount Fuji as their backdrop in the spring of 2023. Despite neither having visited Japan extensively before, they planned their entire Orthodox Jewish ceremony themselves in under three months, securing a rabbi and incorporating familiar traditions.