November 2020 Sanyoso, Izunagaoka Onsen, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan
One and a half hours from Tokyo by train. Sanyoso” is located in Izu Nagaoka Onsen, Shizuoka Prefecture, a hot spring resort rich in nature. Sanyoso was built as a villa for Hisaya Iwasaki, the eldest son of Yataro Iwasaki, who was active since the end of the Edo period. It is said to have many points of interest that would make anyone involved in architecture gasp in admiration. It was quite an interesting wedding ceremony that the groom’s father chose this Sanyoso because he admires the architect “Togo Murano,” who worked on the Sanyoso (new wing).
Now, the point of this wedding at Sanyoso is
- Groom’s father admires Togo Murano, who created the “Sanyoso Shinkan
- Guests come from all over the country, especially Tokyo (access from Tokyo is required).
- Groom wants to be married in a Shinto ceremony, bride wants to walk down the wedding road with her father.
- Japanese food for elderly guests
- An unhurried wedding reception centered on conversation
And it should be noted that
Groom = I want to have a Shinto wedding ceremony.
Bride = wants to walk down the aisle with her father
The spa wedding fulfilled all of these two points.
Daily Flow
The wedding ceremony began with a Shinto ceremony in Japanese kimono, followed by location photography in a garden with beautiful autumn leaves. The couple fulfilled their dream of walking down the wedding road in wedding dresses with their father. The reception was a relaxing time centered on food and conversation with guests. They talked until late at night in each room and deepened their naked friendship in the public bath.
The onsen wedding ended with a thank-you speech from the couple at the breakfast room. Some guests went sightseeing, others relaxed in the lobby, while others promised to see each other again next time.
Bride’s hair and makeup start
Dressing in kimono in the guest room. Dressing for relatives is also available in the hotel.
location shooting
A leisurely photo shoot in the garden with autumn leaves
Shinto wedding
The ceremony was solemnly conducted by the chief priest of Ohito Shrine, the guardian deity of the hot spring resort, at a special venue inside the hotel.
Commemorative photo with relatives
civil ceremony
The wedding ceremony is a moving experience with all the guests present in their wedding dresses.
check-in
Guests can relax in their own rooms.
reception (wedding) banquet
An enjoyable banquet with 70 guests. Delicious kaiseki cuisine was served with smiles and applause.
after-hours
After the party, the bride and groom change into yukata and go to their rooms to enjoy time with friends they have not seen in a long time until late at night.
Breakfast – Check-out
After a late breakfast with all the guests, the wedding ceremony is over. Guests are seen off in the lobby before checking out.
Comments from Onsen Wedding
The couple’s wedding was held in November 2020, just as the GoTo campaign was beginning to take off nationwide with the easing of restrictions on the coronary disaster. The inns were quick to adopt infection control measures that we had not anticipated when we made the reservation, and there were many considerations for the wedding, such as changing the banquet setting and limiting the number of guests.
The key points for a spa wedding are
- Because it was the Prince Group, many chairs/tables were easily arranged
- Thanks to Sanyoso’s efforts, we were able to adjust our check-in time.
- Room assignments were made with consideration for social distance.
The ryokan was also experiencing many things for the first time, and it was a miracle that the day was realized in collaboration with a team with hot spring wedding know-how so as not to cause anxiety or burden to the bride and groom. Thank you to everyone at Sanyoso.
Detailed data
Venue: Izu Nagaoka Onsen (Shizuoka Prefecture)
Venue: Sanyoso
Date: November 2020
Ceremony: Family Shinto Ceremony (in the hotel) / Public Ceremony for all (in the hotel)
Reception: Grand banquet hall “Yuho”.
Guests: 70/family, relatives, friends and colleagues (from all over the country)
Budget: approx. 60,000 yen per guest *All costumes, planning fees, etc. added up and divided by the number of guests