Japanese Wedding Photo Boom In China

[Mulboyne]

A report on the Iza website (Japanese) says that a growing number of well-to-do newly-weds in China are electing to have photographs taken of themselves wearing traditional Japanese dress. The service is provided by Japanese planning company Watabe Wedding who first set up an office in Shanghai six years ago. Around 30-40% of the roughly 1,000 couples who use Watabe's services elect to have their photos taken with kimono and hakama for their commemorative album. Watabe charges 45-90,000 yen for the album alone but they have been benefiting from the rise of China's middle class and the willingness of parents to splurge on a wedding where the "one child policy" means it will be the only chance to do so for many. The company believes that some Chinese families find western style dress wedding photographs to be a bit showy and have come to prefer the restrained elegance that the Japanese traditional setting offers.

[Choeki]

I've heard of (and seen more than a few) "wapanese" types that would go for this in the US, but I'm surprised to see Chinese nationals go for it. Is there a significant "chapanese" (chinpanese?) population in China, or are they just making a mountain out of a molehill?

[Mulboyne]

Asahi: Wedding tourists tie the knot Japan's way

KYOTO--The bride wore a sumptuous red kimono embroidered with floral and crane designs ornately finished in gold thread. The groom was dressed conservatively in black, with a white-striped hakama and a black montsuki coat. It was an impeccably traditional Japanese ceremony in every respect, except for one small detail: neither of the couple were Japanese.

On Saturday, Watabe Wedding, a company which previously specialized in spectacular Western-style weddings for spendthrift Japanese couples, particularly in the bubble economy of the 1980s, welcomed the 26-year-old groom, a banker from Shanghai, and his 25-year-old bride to Okazakijinja shrine in Kyoto's Sakyo Ward. They were married with the time-honored exchange of nuptial cups of sake. The Kyoto-based firm is offering luxurious wedding packages to rich young Chinese couples, which it hopes will help replace a domestic market in long-term decline because of Japan's low birthrate and economic woes.

[gkanai]

This is fascinating. China's a big country so there's room for anything I suppose, but Japanese-style wedding photos is something I never would have imagined.

[sublight]

Damn, I wonder if they'll hire a whitey rent-a-priest to dress in a kimono and do a Japanese-language ceremony for them?

[Doctor Stop]

The company believes that some Chinese families find western style dress wedding photographs to be a bit showy and have come to prefer the restrained elegance that the Japanese traditional setting offers.

The restrained elegance of the Rape of Nanking? Confucius says go figure.

[Mulboyne]

Asahi: Japanese lifestyles catch on among Chinese middle class

SUZHOU, China -- Lu Li is moving to a smaller, but more expensive home. The attraction? Its Japanese features. Lu bought an 80-square-meter condominium for about 2 million yuan (24 million yen), close to her current condominium of more than 100 square meters. "The quality is guaranteed because a Japanese company is building it using many Japanese products," said the 43-year-old Lu, who lives with her husband and two children. China's expanding middle class is embracing the Japanese lifestyle, buying everything from condominiums, traditional Japanese rooms to goods and products.

Lu's new home will be in China's first Japanese-style condominium complex, being built by the Daiwa House Industry Co. group. The 18 buildings will accommodate 902 households on a site nearly double the size of Koshien Stadium. About 400 units put on sale in the first and second phases are almost sold out, and the third phase, which began in April, has also attracted many prospective buyers. Like Lu, many of the buyers belong to China's middle class. The annual income of Lu's family is about 300,000 yuan.

Lu's new condominium will have only two bedrooms, one less than her current home. Still, she was won over by the Japanese technology, including a washlet toilet and a floor heating system, which are still rare in China. Lu and other buyers will move into their new homes after the interiors are finished, a big difference from Chinese condominiums, whose inner walls are bare concrete when delivered. Lu said her current home is not comfortable, although she spent four months having its interiors finished. In winter, it is cold, even with a heating system.

Daiwa's condominium complex comes with many other Japanese features. Bathtubs are installed in many homes, although Chinese usually take a shower. The entrance is made a step lower so that residents will take off their shoes and dust will not enter the rooms. In many Chinese homes, people walk in with their shoes on. Daiwa also plans to develop condominiums and detached houses for 400 families in Wuxi, which borders on Suzhou. "China is said to be in a housing bubble, but real demand is actually strong," said Senior Managing Executive Officer Hiroshi Azuma, who heads Daiwa's overseas business. "We want to build (Japanese-style) housing in many other locations in China."

Marubeni Corp., Sumitomo Corp. and Mitsui Fudosan Residential Co. are also building or are planning to build Japanese-style housing in China. In Shanghai, Marubeni started construction of condominiums for 700 families last year, and Sumitomo will take part in a multi-purpose development project that includes housing. Mitsui Fudosan Residential plans to sell houses in Tianjin. Zhao Ping, deputy director of Xian International Studies University's School of Oriental Languages and Cultures, said one reason behind the popularity of Japanese-style condominiums is the "cleanliness, simplicity and comfort for which Japan is known for." Zhao, who is familiar with Japanese housing, said another likely reason is that quality of life has increased in importance among middle-class Chinese.

The main product of Beijing-based Jingdou Heshi is a "traditional" Japanese room not found in Japan -- one with a retractable table. Operated by remote control, an electric-powered table rises from the floor at the center of the room. During the day, Chinese eat at the wooden table after removing the tatami-mat covering, with their feet stretched into the opening that appears under the table. It is more comfortable for Chinese, who usually use a table and chairs. They sleep in the room with the table retracted to its original position. "The room is popular 70 percent for its cultural attractions and the remaining 30 percent for its functionality," said Bi Wanli, Jingdou Heshi's president.

Bi was impressed by wooden housing when he studied in Japan. He started selling Japanese rooms after returning to China eight years ago. The company operates about 30 outlets in Beijing, Tianjin, Shenyang and other cities. Sales topped 10 million yuan last year after growing about 25 percent annually. Bi said he believes the market will grow even larger. A competitor operates 11 outlets in Beijing, Wuhan and elsewhere. A third company has three outlets in Shanghai. It receives up to 100 orders per month, with most customers being company owners.

The Enjoy Easy store is a Chinese version of Japan's 100-yen shop. At an outlet in a subway station in Shanghai, about 5,000 items, including stationery and kitchen utensils, are on sale, mostly for five, 10 or 15 yuan each. Store manager Ding Zhihui said convenient products that are not found at other stores, such as carpet cleaning devices and washing nets, are popular. The store attracts 300 to 500 shoppers daily, including many women in their 30s and 40s. Yang Fang, 26, a company employee, dropped in on her way back and bought a towel and an imitation flower for 15 yuan each as a present for her friend.

President Wang Shan, who worked at a trading house that supplies a Japanese 100-yen shop operator, founded the company in 2008. Wang thought the products designed for Japan would sell in China because Chinese began looking for convenience and quality as income levels increased. Wang plans to increase the number of outlets to 1,000 by 2015, up sharply from about 90 at present.

At a sanitary ware exhibition in Shanghai in May, Huida Ceramic Group Co. displayed new products, such as toilets and bathroom items, based on designs by Japanese industrial designers. Japan's industry ministry organized a meeting in Shanghai last year to help industrial designers do business in China. Twenty groups of designers and about 100 Chinese companies took part. Li Jiutai, 31, who heads Huida Ceramic's design division, met some of the designers at the meeting and checked photographs of their previous works. "What they designed are sturdy even though they are thin and light," Li said. "They probably reflect characteristics of Japan, which is prone to natural disasters and is short of natural resources."

Chinese traditionally favor large products with conspicuous designs, be it housing or clothing. But with growing awareness about environmental protection and resource conservation, simple, ecology-oriented products are gaining popularity. "The stage is being set for Japanese designs to be accepted in China," Li said. Middle-class Chinese are turning their attention to Japan because it has built a high-quality lifestyle based on advanced technologies while maintaining its own culture. In January, Zhi JP., a magazine specializing in the life and culture of modern Japan, sold its first issue in China. It featured automatic vending machines and robots.

A total of 60,000 copies were printed, including 30,000 for the initial print run. The initial print run was increased to 40,000 copies for the second issue, which was released May 4. "The response was more than we expected, and we found that people have strong interest in Japan," said Su Jing, the 29-year-old editor in chief.

Mao Danqing, 49, a Chinese author based in Hyogo Prefecture who is responsible for planning the magazine's content, noted that a variety of movements started in China to support Japan after the Great East Japan Earthquake. "The desire to know about Japan and Japanese is growing among Chinese, although the number of tourists fell due to the nuclear power plant accident," Mao said. Mao is considering featuring Japanese anti-disaster goods. "Many products are both useful and beautiful in design. They represent characteristics of modern Japanese culture," Mao said.

Su said he wants to explore universal values in Japanese culture and introduce them to his readers. "Japan has maintained its traditional culture linked to China while absorbing Western culture during the Meiji Era and has integrated modernity into it," Su said. "China must face up to the world and learn about it. Japan is the most useful reference for that."

[Jacqueline]

i know nothing about it...

[wuchan]

i know nothing about it...

don't dig up old posts to post useless comments.

[Taro Toporific]

don't dig up old posts to post useless comments.

It's got to the point I can't tell "stupid" from "spam," meh.

[Caiden55]

Planning Japanese party, whether it is a Japanese wedding, a garden party or a special indoor event, has never been easier. Enjoy one stop shopping for paper lanterns and paper hand fans of various sizes and styles. Decorate with parasols and party table decor. Choose your party favors from tea tins, lucky cats, lucky coins and red envelopes, Japanese charms and Japanese candy.

[IparryU]

Planning Japanese party, whether it is a Japanese wedding, a garden party or a special indoor event, has never been easier. Enjoy one stop shopping for paper lanterns and paper hand fans of various sizes and styles. Decorate with parasols and party table decor. Choose your party favors from tea tins, lucky cats, lucky coins and red envelopes, Japanese charms and Japanese candy.

LMAO at TT's mod edit!

[Taro Toporific]

LMAO at TT's mod edit!

Sadly somewhere in India, slave-powered spam service has chained children to Commodore 64s and is targeting us with these almost valid posts.