Japanese LGBTQ couples opting for ‘photo weddings’ amid same-sex marriage ban

Japan’s LGBTQ couples are switching to creative ways to celebrate their love despite all odds. In Japan, same-sex marriages are illegal, so young same-sex couples are instead having “photo weddings”, where they dress in traditional kimonos or trendy wedding dresses and fashionable formal wear for elaborate photoshoots.

These “photo weddings” are carefully staged images that are meant only to be kept as a tangible memory for the couple. 

Due to the conservative Japanese society, where LGBTQ people often face prejudice and stigma, even from their families, these photoshoots give them a moment to embrace their true selves with their partners.

Reuters spent eight months documenting these photo weddings in collaboration with Onestyle, a studio in Tokyo and Yokohama. 

Japan’s ‘photo weddings’: An escape for the LGBTQ in conservative society

The couples, who participated in this research by Reuters, put up a condition: to maintain their anonymity to avoid any future discrimination.  

A 40-year-old office worker shared her experience about one such photo wedding when she came to the studio with her 35-year-old partner in a matching dress. She emphasised the importance of creating a tangible memory for themselves, as not everyone in their lives is aware of their relationship. They chose the day they applied for a partnership agreement with their local council for their photoshoot, highlighting the challenges in finding studios willing to accommodate same-sex couples.

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Another couple in their 50s, who participated in a photo wedding, observed that societal attitudes toward LGBTQ people are changing, though progress is slow. 

Onestyle, established in 2015, caters to over 2,000 couples annually, with up to 5 per cent being LGBTQ, according to its founder Natsue Ikeda.

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Japan is the only G7 nation that does not recognise same-sex marriage or provide legal protection to LGBTQ individuals, despite public support and court rulings against this stance. 

Although many municipalities allow same-sex partnership agreements, these do not grant the same rights as marriage. Partners cannot inherit assets, gain parental rights, or guarantee hospital visitations. 

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A survey by Fuji TV showed that 91.4 per cent of respondents in their teens and twenties support same-sex marriage, while less than half of those over 70 do. It indicates the generational divide in Japanese society on views of same-sex marriage. 

A 27-year-old gender queer individual recounted their mother’s traditional expectations and their grandmother’s warning against revealing their relationship to other relatives. The couple wore kimonos and exchanged custom-made rings containing each other's DNA.

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Japan faces pressure domestically and internationally to improve LGBTQ rights. A landmark ruling in March declared Japan’s ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional, a decision which is currently under appeal to the Supreme Court. 

(With inputs from agencies)