Christian weddings: religion and ritual in contemporary Japan

Abstract

This thesis explores the rise of Christian weddings within the context of contemporary Japan. In particular, it challenges the manner in which religion as an object of study is traditionally understood in an effort to reveal both the popularity and significance of Christian (and, more generally, religious) wedding ceremonies in a society where the vast number of members claim to be "non-religious" (mushūkyō). The author draws on numerous interviews with individuals both inside and outside the wedding industry to reveal the manner in which Japanese individuals with no proclaimed religious identity, affiliation or faith still vicariously rely on the religious.