Monday 23 November 2009

Kenji and Megumi's wedding

Alright I don't know if I can marry yet I get my results tomorrow, but I went to a wedding yesterday.
Actually this wedding is at the same place as I will marry Yuuri so in essence this was a kind of reconnaissance wedding.

Naturally I took my camera.


From Megumis wedding

We have what is almost a western wedding style with the classic white style. Beautiful.


From Megumis wedding

Check out the authenticity, alright so it's a bit 'Disney Land' but it's all about the show. I don't really care if the church was built in the 1600s by the pope or erected in the 1980s by Imagine(c). And I'll tell you what, the heating system works well in this modern building and you wont find that in your damp Gothic churches.


From Megumis wedding

This is the old 'chucking the petals' routine, I like that picture cause the petals are caught mid-flight and check out the guy with the pink phone, no it's not his girlfriends its his and that's Japan.
A nice shot of the couple though, Kenji and Megumi Kato.

They met at my welcome party when I came to Aeon, I remember sitting next to them and talking with Kenji. He was to become one of my students and Megumi is the Kids head teacher. They are two very lovely people and two of my favourite people at Aeon.


From Megumis wedding

After some photos we all bustle up to the party room where we enjoy lots of food and booze. This is where we also pay the lean 17,000Y/ $191 / £115 but this is the way of all weddings in Japan, indeed I hear in Tokyo the prices are much much higher.


From Megumis wedding

Here is a nice group of the current Aeon workforce with the lady on the left in the white jacket working at the Morioka branch and the rest of us stuck in the Arctic tundra Aomori.

From Megumis wedding


Japanese weddings always seem to include at least one costume change which gives the whole thing a little personality. I like it and I really like this outfit!


From Megumis wedding

Ah and who could forget, the flaming sword, a key part to any wedding where ever you are in the world. On this day of love Kenji unites the Japanese old love of samurai warriors with the modern Japanese love of smoking in public. Very beautifully done though.

No pictures of Yuuri I hear you cry? Well no she was working but she came to the second party in her brand new dress I bought for her. I chose a very western style which I think she needed time to get used to but here she is in her fluffy bear slippers...


From Megumis wedding

Finally a short video so sit back and enjoy.

Sunday 15 November 2009

Meet Yuuri

Disney and Approval for marriage

Last weekend (2nd November 09) I went to Tokyo with Yuuri to visit Disney Sea. Disney in Japan is a lot like Disney in America. A lot of hype and a lot of waiting around.

I'm a bit cynical when it comes to Disney. I hate how all the advertisements show Disney as this magical place and usually depict a young family freely enjoying the park, and it looks like a dream. However they don't show the hoards of people clambering to get a look at plastic mountain or the never ending wait for a 2 minute ride.

Having said that Yuuri really enjoys Disney and it is a good day out. The rides are pretty good and I really liked the Tower of Terror. Yuuri always gets very scared when she goes on rides, her palms become sweaty and she becomes noticeably more nervous. She loves it though!

We were in the park for about 10hrs and we were so tired afterwards. Our hotel was nice but our key didn't work so our room got upgraded.

Please enjoy our pics of Disney

Disney

The main reason we came to Tokyo was to visit the British embassy to get our marriage ready for approval. When Americans do this I heard they must take blood tests but at the British embassy I only had to fill in a form and pay some money, Yuuri didn't have to be there. The form cost £63/Y9,700 and I have to wait until the 24th November 09 for approval.

My information goes on a public notice board for anyone to object against. We had a look at some of the current ones and we were among the youngest but there were some couples younger than us. Most seemed to be British men to Japanese women though.

A lot of people tell me western men often prefer Japanese women and that Japanese women like western men. I'm not so sure that's completely true as a man and knowing other men I'd say men like Italian women, French women, South American women, Asian women in fact I'd say men just like women and if something sounds unattainable and exotic then all the more appeal.

As for Japanese women preferring western men well I think that's just from exposure. If your only exposure to westerners is Hugh Grant, George Clooney, Brad Pitt etc then you're going to find them more appealing. I don't know any Japanese girls who fancy Gordon Brown.

From Embassy


From Embassy

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