*Edit: As of January 2024, due to permit issues, we can no longer do ceremonies in public gardens. We can of course do post-ceremony photo-shoots. However ceremonies must be done in private venues.
Simple Elegance at its Best
An Elopement in Tokyo and Japan in general is not just about shrines and temples. It's history, culture, beauty and simple elegance. Japanese people love the intersection between art and nature, which is rarely more noticeable than in a Japanese Garden. And so, few wedding experiences feel more uniquely Japanese than a Japanese Garden Elopement.
Gardens are well maintained throughout the year and can offer an intimate, romantic elopement setting in Tokyo. We scour the city, searching for the best settings and easiest places to book, for your Japanese Garden Elopement. With their natural and manicured beauty, gardens in Tokyo can easily rival anything found in Kyoto or Nara.
These hidden gems in and around the city are located in either residential areas or close to business centers. And since many of them are off the tourist radar they are quiet and intimate. Furthermore, being cheap and rarely crowded, they can offer the perfect setting for couples who want to keep costs down. They great for those wanting to maximize their budget for the rest of the trip.
Japanese garden elopements are perfect for couples who want something elegant yet discreet. In their simplest form, garden elopements take just two hours out of your day, leaving you plenty of time to experience other things and explore other parts of the city. Alternatively, they can also be the starting point for something more elaborate. The choice is yours. As we always like to remind our clients: "Your Day; Your Way!"
How does it work?
That depends on you. Each couple is different and we wouldn't be doing our jobs if we pushed the same plans on everyone. How we use/incorporate the gardens is as varied as the number of couples we work with. Put simply:
Tell us what you want to include. We will either recommend gardens we know or scout for new spots and check the permit requirements.
We figure out logistics of travel and preparation.
Go to a kimono studio to include the traditional, or not!
Hire a hair and make up artist to meet us and join us for the day or take you to one of the many local salons at the start of the day.
Have a garden ceremony then incorporate a city photo-tour, either by public transport or private car hire.
At the end of the the day, we can:
drop you off at a recommended restaurant to celebrate in style
take you back to your hotel
or anything that you want!
It's entirely up to you. As we always say: "Your Day; Your Way!"
Frequently Asked Questions
When's the best time of year for a Garden Elopement? Generally speaking, spring and autumn are considered prime seasons for outdoor weddings. In summer - Mid-July to Mid-September - it can get extremely hot and humid. Mosquitos will be very active during these months. Winter is incredibly cold and dry. Autumn gives you the opportunity to enjoy the changing leaves, but this also brings out the crowds. Peak bloom for plants and flowers tend to be between April and May.
Is there any rain cover in the gardens? Some gardens, yes. Not all. Some gardens have gazebos and tea houses. The tea houses may need to be reserved in advanced. It depends on the policy at each garden.
Can we live-stream the elopement? This is a common request these days. If we can overcome the technical hurdles, yes.
I heard kimonos are very heavy, can I wear a yukata? Absolutely! Yukata's are summer weight kimonos, usually reserved for more casual occasions. But in the vein of Your Day; Your Way a lot of couples choose to do this. See the first photo on this page: the couple standing on the bridge are wearing yukatas.
Important Notes:
Due to garden policies we have to limit the number of guests to just five people. If you wish to include more than five people, let us know and we can discuss other options.
Japanese gardens typically do not usually incorporate cherry blossom trees. These are planted in public parks and alongside rivers. If Cherry blossom is important to you, contact us, and we will recommend other places or ensure we incorporate them on a city photo-tour.
Use of gardens is subject to a permit and the ceremony and photoshoot in the garden must usually be completed in an hour.
Some gardens can only be reserved two months ahead of time, some even less.
The gardens are public and often busy at weekends, so permits are only granted for weekday use.