かつてウェルズリー大学で日本語を教えたXさんから結婚式の招待状が届いたのは数ヶ月前。今はNYで金融関係の仕事をしているようですが、お相手の男性もまたNY在住。ところが結婚式は京都嵐山にある宝厳院という臨済宗のお寺で挙げるとのこと。送られてくる案内からも彼女が長い間かかって綿密に計画した結婚式であることが伺われました。
結婚式に参加する服装は参加者の国の文化的な装い或いは和装でとのことでしたが、当日は雨の予報で私は悪いと思いつつ洋装で参加しました。宝厳院の門から本堂までは雨ながらも緑が美しく鶯が鳴いて心が洗われるようでした。式に参列したのは日本人より外国の方が多かったこと、そして男女とも和装が多かったのに驚かされました。仏前での結婚式に参列するのは初めてでとても興味深かったです。式が終わった頃には雨が止んで外で記念撮影ができたのは幸いでした。かつて教えた懐かしい学生や大学の卒業生に会えたこと、新婦の仕事関係や友人たちと話せたのも楽しかったです。
その後、天龍寺内の料理店でいただいたのは立派な精進料理。驚くほどの品数、蓮根・豆腐・胡麻・芋・百合根等々、味覚・視覚全てに工夫を凝らした純然たる日本料理ながら周りで話されているのはほぼ英語というなかなか珍しい光景でした。夜は場所を変えての披露宴。さぞかし華やかな雰囲気になるだろうと思いながら私は失礼して帰ってきました。
英語、中国語、日本語を流暢に話す才媛のXさん。相手に合わせて彼女が造った記念品の焼き物。いくつかの言語で表記された式次第。裏には二人に関係する言葉を当てはめるクロスワードクイズまで用意するという力の入れよう。Xさんは小柄ながら世界のマラソンに参加し、学者の道を歩いてきたご主人との出会いもあったとか。仏前で二人を結びつけた御住職の言葉通り「雨降って地固まる」。海を越えて京都の禅寺で式を挙げた二人に幸あれと願います。
I received an invitation of the wedding ceremony a few months ago from X whom I taught Japanese language to when I was teaching at W. College. She is now working in finance in New York and her partner is also in NY but they were planning to get married at a buddhist temple in Kyoto. I attended the other day.
There was a dress code in the invitation in which people were supposed to wear national costume or kimono.
However the weather forecast said it was a rainy day. Since wearing a formal kimono in the rain was too hard for me, I decided to attend in a dress. I arrived at the nearest station and took a taxi to the temple at around 9:30 a.m.. Although it was raining heavily , the path from the gate to the main hall of the temple was so beautiful surrounding deep fresh green and I could hear Japanese nightingale singing. I felt soothed by that. I was surprised at the number of the guests because more than half were foreigners and many people who were both male and female were wearing Kimono. It was the first time for me to attend a Buddhist wedding at the temple and it was very interesting. When the ceremony was over, the rain was up and it was nice for the couple, family and friends to take commemorative photos in the beautiful outside. I also enjoyed talking with my students and other graduates.
Then we moved to another place on foot where we ate wonderful Buddhist vegetarian cuisine. Lotus, soybean, sesame, several kinds of potatoes, lily bulb and other vegetables were used in various dishes. They were so good! I felt funny because the dishes were all traditional Japanese but most of the guests were talking in English. The celebration continued to the evening party in a different place, but I was exhausted and left early.
X is a brilliant woman who is fluent in English, Chinese and Japanese. She made pottery gifts by herself for the guests. She prepared a program for the ceremony in three languages. The couple also prepared a crossword quiz related to them which was very thoughtful. X runs marathon races in many countries and her husband also loves running. After the rain comes fair weather (in Japanese "After rain, the ground hardens."）
Best wishes for X and A's marriage!
