{Inter} Cultural Japan

A visitor from outer space, studying the different peoples of the earth, could easily get the impression that Japan is a devout Christian nation.

After all, our space traveler would observe that churches are so popular here that you even see them on the roofs of other buildings. Here an old English country church has been hoisted up to one of the highest floors of this hotel near Osaka Station…

Knowing that Japan has a severe lack of space in the cities, that would perhaps not surprise our alien, who might even think it a very ingenious solution. This precious white chapel sits inside another building, carefully protected by glass…

But who goes to church on the roof of a hotel?

Of course, as we all know, these churches are fake: they are in fact wedding halls for couples who want a nice, fashionable “Western-style” wedding. And why not let them opt for that, as your wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime big event?

So it is rather strange that there has been some commotion about the “fake priests” officiating at weddings in Japan.

It seems a matter of course to me that the priests and vicars in Japan are just as fake as the churches where they operate (usually students who need some money) - and the couples who hire them know that. The last thing they would want is a real priest raining down fire and brimstone from the pulpit!

By the way, here is another confusing case… the building in this last photo is a chapel only in name, sweet though it may be… it is usually visited by couples who are not wedded - it is a love hotel in Kobe.