In Japan, a sunshower is not just unusual weather.
It is believed to be the moment when foxes hold their wedding — Kitsune no Yomeiri, the “Fox Wedding.”
A Wedding Beneath Sun and Rain
When sunshine and rain appear together, people imagined a hidden wedding parade of foxes. The rare and fleeting beauty of a sunshower became the perfect stage for this mysterious ceremony.
Over time, the idea of the Fox Wedding was passed down for generations and even turned into festivals. In some towns, you can see processions where participants wear fox masks, carrying lanterns through the rain, and a bride dressed in pure white kimono, just like a wedding from another world.
The Bridal Kimono: Shiromuku
At the center of this vision stands the shiromuku, Japan’s most traditional bridal kimono.
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Color: Pure white, symbolizing purity and a new beginning.
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Role: White shows the bride’s readiness to “take on the colors of her new family,” expressing harmony and devotion.
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Design: Layers of silk, subtle embroidery, and a trailing hem create a graceful and solemn image.
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Headpieces: A wataboshi (white hood) adds mystery, while a tsunokakushi (“horn-hider”) represents a gentle spirit by covering jealousy or pride.
The shiromuku is not just clothing. It is a symbol of transformation and devotion, making it the perfect attire for a wedding that belongs to both tradition and imagination.
A Tradition Unique to Japan
Many cultures have stories of clever or magical foxes.
But only in Japan is their wedding imagined beneath a sunshower — and celebrated as festivals that still enchant people today.
The Fox Wedding is where love, folklore, and nature meet under sun and rain.
It is a uniquely Japanese way of turning weather into a story of celebration.