Translation guide
In Japanese weddings, the exchange of vows is not a direct translation of Western-style personalized promises. The concept is expressed through ritual phrases, legal declarations, and symbolic actions. This guide covers how to refer to and understand marriage vows in Japanese contexts.
The ritual vows spoken during a Shinto ceremony, often led by the priest and affirmed by the couple.
Refers to the formal vows read during a Shinto wedding. The couple does not typically recite personal vows; instead, they participate in a ritual where the priest reads the vows and they affirm them.
In a Shinto ceremony, the bride and groom read the marriage vows.
The sake-sharing ritual (san-san-kudo) that symbolizes the couple's union. While not spoken vows, it is a central vow-like act in traditional weddings.
The san-san-kudo ceremony represents the couple's vows.
The act of legally registering a marriage, which in Japan is done by submitting a form rather than exchanging vows.
Submitting the marriage registration form is the legal equivalent of marriage vows in Japan. There is no required ceremony or spoken vow for legal marriage.
Once you submit the marriage registration, you are legally married.
When Japanese couples have a Western-style wedding, they may exchange personalized vows, often influenced by Christian or secular traditions.
Expressions of commitment that are not formal vows but serve a similar purpose in Japanese culture.
In Japan, the concept of 'marriage vows' as a set of spoken promises is not universal. Legal marriage is a paperwork process, and traditional ceremonies focus on ritual rather than personal vows. When discussing marriage vows, clarify whether you mean legal registration, Shinto ritual, or Western-style personalized vows.
The word '誓い' (chikai) means 'vow' or 'oath' and can be used in various contexts. For marriage, it is often combined with '結婚' (kekkon) as '結婚の誓い' or used in phrases like '誓いを立てる' (to make a vow). However, in casual conversation, Japanese people may simply refer to the act of getting married rather than the vows themselves.
They read the vows they had written themselves.