Taian means wedding day at Meiji Shrine
Taian means lots of weddings! Well, a direct translation might translate it as big peace. But, for Japanese people, it is the luckiest of days. Anyway, the best place to see one in Tokyo is at Meiji Shrine in Harajuku. I had a good time there, getting many photos of brides and grooms in their kimonos.
When I was writing this article, I realized I hadn’t spent a day there photographing weddings since 2018. That is a very long time. Honestly, I was surprised. But then again, with the pandemic and everything, maybe I shouldn’t.
Anyway, nothing has changed since the last time I saw one. The couples were treated like royalty, and rightly so. It is the day when they start their new life together. Their appearance sent everyone scrambling to get a good position for a photo.
What can I say about these wedding processions? I know whatever comment I made won’t do them justice. The couples were beautiful. But we should be honest, the stars were the brides and their kimonos. Everyone wants to see them. Their grooms were very dashing, though.
I was happy to see many weddings processions at Meiji Shrine, especially on a Taian day. It seemed like another sign that the pandemic was winding down in Tokyo. Of course, along with the worshippers, there were many overseas tourists. I heard a variety of languages there.
Why is Taian such a good day for a wedding?
Taian is not only lucky but is good for anything that needs a start. And that is why wedding halls have many reservations on these days. Meiji Shrine is one of those, and it is busy too. I imagine they are quite expensive.
Are you building a new house? Maybe you are moving into a new one? What about buying a new car? Choose this day. In business, when you decide on the date of establishment, open a new store or launch a new product, choose this day. Taian is important.
Conclusion
If you want to see a wedding at Meiji Shrine, try to go on Taian. It should have many. I would be surprised if it didn’t. To be honest, I couldn’t imagine that day without one. That would be unthinkable.
Hopefully, it won’t take another four years to photograph a wedding procession! They are colorful events, for sure. It’s easy to see why they are popular. I wish I could see them more regularly. If time permits, that will happen.

Rohan Gillett
Rohan has lived in Tokyo for 30+ years. He loves photography and okonomiyaki. One day, his camera will photograph the entire city.
For more people articles, look at:
External articles about Meiji Shrine weddings
- How to See Part of a Traditional Japanese Wedding on wheresshelly.com