Over the past 10 years, the number of church-like buildings popping up around the country has risen. However, appearances can be deceiving: While their exteriors might bear all the hallmarks of a regular church, these buildings do not offer church services for Christian worshipers — they cater to couples looking to tie the knot in a "Christian" setting.According to Tohoku University associate professor Taro Igarashi, who also is an architectural critic, there were 1,288 wedding facilities nationwide as of May 2006, of which 1,228 were capable of offering Christian weddings. About half of the church-like buildings were independent "churches."
Operators of some of these church-like buildings, which feature long aisles and high ceilings, have imported stained glass and religious ornaments from Europe to give a more "authentic feel" to the occasion.Igarashi describes such wedding venues as commercial buildings with religious decorations. "A wedding extravaganza doesn't fit with a Shinto-style ceremony that is rather conservative. Church weddings have become fashionable," he said.
http://www.courant.com/features/lifestyle/hc-japanwed.artfeb23,0,830539.story
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