A line of wedding attendees, led by a red umbrella, was walking towards the shrine pavilion at Meiji Jingu

Tail end of the wedding attendants — Shot at Meiji Jingu, a Shinto shrine in Harajuku, Tokyo

Led by Shinto priests and shrine maidens, the line was slowly moving through the grounds. These people were participants in a wedding ceremony to be held at Meiji Jingu Shrine, and they were on their way to the place where the ceremony would be held. Not only the bride and groom but also the attendees must be in a solemn mood with each step they take. The weather was fine that day. It must have been nice to walk slowly under the blue sky, attracting the attention of the worshippers and tourists in the temple grounds.

I wondered if the speed of the priest leading the procession would be the same even if it was raining. If they walked too slowly in the pouring rain, the attendees might be soaked by the time they reached the place where the ceremony was to take place. On the other hand, if they walked too fast, they might end up arriving at the wedding site before they could get into the mood. It is difficult for the Shinto priest who leads the procession to know what to do.

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