Many couples of Japanese descent are beginning to prefer a Western wedding more than a traditional Shinto wedding. There are several reasons why couples prefer a Western wedding over a Shinto wedding, as they have different views on marriage. In traditional Japanese wedding, style and culture are involved and this has been known for many years. There are two major differences between a Shinto wedding and a Western wedding. When a couple is in love and decides to get married, it is traditionally a Western wedding. As in a Shinto marriage, the couple is arranged and told who to marry. The parents choose the bride for the groom or choose the groom for the bride and from there a contract is made between the two families. Today's couples have different views and are not in favor of Shinto marriage. By marrying in the traditional or Western way, people should be able to choose who they want to spend the rest of their lives with. Shintoism is known to be a Japanese religion, dating back to the early 8th century. The meaning of Shintoism is how kami or spirits exist in nature and in people. There is a link between present-day Japan and its ancient past. Today, Shinto is known to be celebrated at public shrines suitable for various purposes such as war memorials, festivals, and weddings. As for history in Japan, the tradition was for the husband to live with his wife's family. “In the ancient times of the aristocracy, before the era of the shoguns, men would visit the woman in the woman's house until a child was born or her parents died, the couple then were able to live together at his home. This was called muko-iri, where the groom married into the bride's family. (Nielson) They are just one of five... middle of paper ...... to greet her, and give her money to accept. They basically compromised and he accepted the family's consent. If this little scene were to turn into a modern story, the wedding would seem more like a couple in love who both decide to get married. There would be no bribe as it would not be necessary in the situation. This is why the difference between a Shinto marriage and a Western marriage was established. The difference between the two types of Shinto and Western ceremonies has rapidly changed in Japanese culture. Couples have chosen to have a Western wedding and ceremony because it is the right thing for them and less expensive than a Shinto wedding. The way traditional marriage was viewed and the differences between Western marriages are considered. There have been many changes, not in Japanese cultures, but in other cultures as well..