Schedule and photo spots for taking wedding photos in Shirakawa-go

We at Mariecouture are a team of wedding kimono and photographers who provide wedding photography services in Japan to couples and married couples from all over the world. Please come and have your wedding photos taken in a location in a rural area of ​​Japan, and spend your honeymoon deepening your love and bond.

• Table of Contents
• [Introduction] What is the wedding photo service where you can wear wedding kimonos in Shirakawa-go?
• Introducing the flow of the shoot, the time required, and the shooting locations
• [Finally] Summary of travel time

[Introduction] What is the wedding photo service where you can wear wedding kimonos in Shirakawa-go?

I want to go to my beloved Japan for my honeymoon with my precious partner! I want to give my partner a special present! I want to create special memories for the two of us! If you are thinking about these things, we recommend a romantic service for you: a wedding photo service that takes photos at the World Heritage Site "Shirakawa-go" !

Shirakawa-go, where the photo was taken, is located in the northern part of Gifu Prefecture, almost in the center of Japan, and is a place where Japanese rural scenery spreads out before you. It is also famous for its houses built in the traditional snow country architectural style "Gassho-zukuri". The traditional rural life and the historical value that has earned it a World Heritage Site attract many visitors.

The costume worn during the photo shoot is a wedding kimono. There are 11 types of kimono, but the one you will wear for this service is a special kimono worn at Japanese weddings . Wedding kimonos are characterized by very gorgeous and luxurious embroidery, and are considered to be the most formal of all kimonos. If you bring your own, you can also wear traditional costumes from your country.

This is a service where you can wear special wedding kimonos and have your wedding photos taken while touring Japan's World Heritage sites with a guide.

Introducing the flow of the shoot, the time required, and the shooting locations

In this article, we will introduce the process for the day if you are only wearing one kimono.

The day before the photo shoot: Choose a kimono (time required: about 2 hours)

There are many different colored kimonos for brides. Also, there are "Kaitou Hakosako" and "Sashieri" that are worn with the kimono. The kaiken in Kaitou Hakosako is a short sword used as a talisman, and the hakosako is what we would call a makeup pouch today. The sashieri is a colored, insert-type collar that adds a gorgeous touch to the neck.

On the day before the photo shoot, you will come to our Mariecouture store in Hida Takayama and choose your favorite kimono and a matching sword case and collar.

We also have kimonos for the groom available in different colors, so you can choose one and try it on to check the fit.

If you can't make time the day before, you can ask us your preferred colors and body measurements online in advance and we will prepare a kimono that suits you.

On the day of the photo shoot: 7:45 AM Meet us at the inn with the dressing room

We will meet you at a ryokan in Shirakawa-go, where we will provide you with a room to help you put on your kimono and do your hair and makeup. Please come to the ryokan with only basic makeup on.

The meeting point is the Shirakawa-go inn "Shiroyamakan," which provides a dressing room. We recommend staying at Shiroyamakan the night before the shoot.

Learn more about Shirakawa-go's Ryokan "Shiroyamakan"

8:00AM Kimono dressing and hair and makeup start (time required: about 1 hour 45 minutes)

Compared to regular kimonos, wedding kimonos are completely different in terms of thickness, number of layers underneath, and design, even within the same kimono category. If you were to compare it to cuisine, it would be like the difference between French cuisine and Japanese cuisine. Therefore, special skills are required to wear it, so only a limited number of hairdressers who have mastered that technique can do it.

In our service, experienced hairdressers with kimono dressing skills will transform you into a bride or groom filled with Japanese beauty. By the way, we call our kimono dressing teachers "God's hands" because of their beautiful kimono dressing and solid skills.

For the bride's hair and makeup, and the groom's hairstyle, we will ask you to send us an image in advance or ask about your preferences.

From this point on, your interpreter/guide will be with you, so feel free to tell your hairdresser what you want.

9:45 AM Move to shooting location (time required: 15 minutes)

Once you've put on your kimono, it's time to head to the photoshoot location, where your photographer will be waiting and ready to go.

10:00AM Shooting starts (Time required: about 3.5 hours)

Spot 1: Deai Bridge (A spot where you can take photos if you're lucky)

Deai Bridge is a 107m long suspension bridge that leads to Shirakawa Village in the "Shirakawa-go Gassho-style Village." When you cross the suspension bridge and step into Shirakawa Village, you will feel as if you have traveled back in time, and it feels like a bridge connecting the present and the past.

This bridge is always crowded with people because many tourists cross it, so any couple who manages to take a photo here is a very lucky couple!

The bride is wearing a wedding kimono called "Iro Uchikake" and the groom is wearing a "Montsuki Hakama"

Spot 2: Near the observation deck

This is a place where you can get a panoramic view of Shirakawa Village, and the Gassho-style houses look like miniatures.

Spot 3: Wada Family Home

The Wada House is one of the largest Gassho-style houses in the World Heritage Site and is designated as an Important Cultural Property by the government. People actually live in the house, and are working to preserve the Gassho-style house and pass on the lifestyle.

In the background you can see the Wada House, one of the largest gassho-style houses.

Spot 4: Gassho-style Folk Houses Open-Air Museum

This museum preserves and displays 25 Gassho-style buildings, including nine that have been designated as Important Cultural Properties of Gifu Prefecture. In addition to the main house, there is a shrine, a temple main hall, a watermill, and more, and you can even tour the attic of the main house. Among them, the Yamashita House is one of the few surviving 18th century Gassho-style buildings in Shirakawa Village.

At Minkaen, you can take photos while sitting on the veranda of a Gassho-style house.

If you bring your own, you can wear a tuxedo, wedding dress, or traditional clothing from your country.

Spot 5: Three-way palm

This is a rare spot where three large Gassho-style buildings stand side by side. When viewed from the front, they appear to be all the same size, so they are also called "triplets of Gassho-style buildings."

Romantic photos will deepen your love and bond with your partner.

12:00 PM Finished shooting and returned to Shiroyamakan to change clothes (time required: approx. 30 minutes)

Once the photo shoot is over, you will return to Shiroyamakan and change clothes.

The photos taken will be retouched and sent to you digitally in approximately one and a half months.

Finally, we took a commemorative photo with our staff!

The photo data will be sent to you in about 2 months.

The photos will be retouched and sent to you digitally in about two months. The data will be sent to you in a downloadable format.

[Finally] Summary of travel time

The service will take approximately two hours the day before the shoot and six hours on the day of the shoot if you are planning to wear one kimono.

Wedding photography services in Shirakawa-go are a valuable photography spot registered as a World Heritage Site, and you can have your photos taken in formal wedding kimonos, or you can have your photos taken in costumes from your home country if you bring them with you. A guide will also be provided so you can enjoy sightseeing in Shirakawa-go, making this the perfect service for honeymoons.

Couples who love Japan and are looking for a special experience, come and see us in Shirakawa-go! We will support you to make your honeymoon a lifelong memory!

Official website: Learn more about wedding photography services in Shirakawa-go