Hotel Gajoen Tokyo

Wedding Day

Ceremony

Reception

エレガンテヴィータ

After Party - Elegante Vita

Secret After After Party ;)

Our Wedding

We’re thrilled to have you join us for a day of celebration, tradition, and joy. Here’s everything you need to know to ensure a smooth and unforgettable experience.

❗Family Arrival - 10:10 am Sharp ❗Friends Arrival - 10:30 am Sharp

Ceremony11:00 AM – 11:30 AM Room: Oumi-denJoin us for a traditional Japanese wedding ceremony in an authentic Shinto shrine. Please arrive at least 30 minutes early to ensure a seamless start.

Reception12:15 PM – 3:15 PM Room: Peacock (Kujaku)A traditional and formal Japanese reception. Enjoy our hand-picked multi-course meal, heartfelt videos, and a lively program designed to bring all of our loved ones together.*Please let us know if you have any allergies Highlights:- Videos and Photos with family and friends- Teddy will personally serve you beer

After Party4:30 PM – 7:30 PM Venue: Elegante Vita (エレガンテヴィータ) Let’s unwind and keep the party going American-style! Enjoy our dinner, dessert, and drink buffets. *Please let us know if you have any allergies Highlights:- 26 variety of drinks.- Money dance.

Secret After-After Party ;)7:30 PM – 5:00 AM Location: To be revealed on the day!For those night owls who don’t want the night to end, join us for a secret celebration in true Tokyo style. Think neon lights, hidden gems, and lasting memories.

Wedding Day Details

Wedding Day Attire Women

💙Formal💙 - Below knees Dress - Colorful Preferred - If you wear spaghetti straps, a shawl is preferred during the wedding ceremony. Reception not required. - Heels - Clutch Bag - Makeup - Hair Up Style Preferred (Well Groomed) 🚫Not Allowed🚫 - Open Toe Heels - Mini Skirt - Cleavage - Big Bags

Wedding Day Attire Men

💙Formal💙- Suit &amp; tie or tuxedo- Dark colors preferred- Tie any color- Dress shoes required🚫Not Allowed🚫- Hats- Jeans- Sneakers- Sandals- Black-Tie

Dress Code

⭐ General Questions

⭐ RSVP & Attendance

⭐ Travel & Transportation

⭐ Money & Payments

⭐ Gifts

⭐ Attire

Questions

Hotels Near the Wedding Venue

<a href="https://hotelblocks.theknot.com/EventPage8050880" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>

Narita Airport is the biggest airport in Japan and the one we usually fly into. It is about a hour and a half by train to Hotel Gajeon.

Narita International Airport

Haneda Airport is a lot closer to the venue and in the heart of Tokyo. However, it is rare to find a direct flight out of San Diego, so you might have better luck booking through LA.

Tokyo International Airport (Haneda Airport)

Travel

Sumo Show &amp; Hot Pot 🤼‍♂️🔥We’re getting together in Asakusa for:✅ Live Sumo Show✅ All-You-Can-Eat Chanko-Nabe✅ Geisha Dance Performance Make sure to buy tickets ASAP. Please contact me to get the reference code to be added to my party.

6/2 SUMO Dinner 8:30pm

We’re splitting up for the day: 👩‍🎤 Girls’ Day: Think afternoon tea, shopping, and a bit of luxury. Start with brunch at an amazing afternoon tea place, go to Harajuku for some shopping 🍦

6/3 Girls/Boys Day Out

👨‍🎤 Boys’ Day: Time for action, food, and a little chaos. Maybe kick things off at an arcade, grab some legit yakitori, and then hit up Akihabara to finish strong. We’ll all meet up in the evening at an Izakaya and swap stories over good food and drinks.

This is the day to celebrate with us in DisneySea. Our must-do in Japan every time! We definitely recommend downloading the Disney app to buy tickets and use the app day of. You can use it to make reservations, group priority passes, and more. APP LINK: https://www.tokyodisneyresort.jp/en/tdr/app.html

6/4 DisneySea with friends 

Hangout With Us

Our journey began near SDSU during a memorable Thanksgiving weekend, brought together by a crazy Japanese friend studying at the American Language Institute. From the moment I met her, I felt incredibly lucky and knew I had to spend more time together—starting with Black Friday shopping. As she became a regular at my famous house parties, I invited her to "study" English with me, which led to our first unofficial date at Crazy Burger. There, we found ourselves simply enjoying each other's company, setting the stage for many memorable weekends before she went back to Japan. Determined to make her mine, I invited her to Big Bear for a White Elephant getaway with friends. That weekend I proved my intentions were serious, and within a week, we began dating. Our connection deepened as we spent every weekend together, even waking up at 4 a.m. to accommodate my construction work with her college schedule. Despite convincing ourselves it was just a summer fling, our bond grew stronger. When she returned to Japan, we chose to embrace our feelings and take a chance at a future together.

The Fun Start

Year 1 (2018): In May/June, I visited her in Japan for my first trip, exploring her favorite spots in Tokyo. Later that year, in November 2018, I returned for a second visit lasting 16 days, balancing her college classes with my work. During this time, I met her parents for the first time at DisneySea. Year 2 (2019): August marked my third trip to Japan, where we embarked on a comprehensive journey through Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto. I stayed for an unforgettable month filled with amazing experiences that solidified our relationship. Then in October, she visited me for the first time since her studies at SDSU. The trip felt so quick, but we made every moment count. I have a great memory where we had dressed up as the Incredibles for my Halloween party. Year 3 (2020): In January, she visited me, and little did we know that COVID-19 was about to change our lives. Despite the uncertainties, we cherished a month together, enjoying life before the pandemic took hold. I was still denying the possibility of the world shutting down with my hopeful optimism and telling her I would visit again in May for the fourth time. We had no clue it would be a year and a half when we would see each other again. Year 4 (2021): July saw her visit amidst the ongoing pandemic. We had such a great time that we seriously considered getting married before she left. Serendipity struck when the COVID test she took was not fully completed causing her to miss her flight back on August 4th. That extra two weeks were such blessings in disguise and she left on August 17. Long distance was proving to be challenging, but we both were committed to making it work as life kept chugging along. Year 5 (2022): Almost another year and a half passed with her visiting again in November which was her last visit. However, our love was stronger than ever, and I couldn't bear to let her leave again. I decided to propose to her in a French restaurant in North Park, Et Voilà! Year 6 (2023): We got married one day after our 5th anniversary in January. 2023 was an incredible year for us: we got married, I finally graduated from SDSU after more than 10 years out of high school, and I landed a significant new job. Year 7 (2024): She finally received her green card after 10 months, and we celebrated by returning to Japan for the first time together since 2019.

One Year at a Time

His Story

I was born and raised in Japan. Ever since I can remember, I thought it would be so cool to speak English, so I started studying it. In high school, I studied really hard because I wanted to get into the international major at a top university. But things didn’t go as planned, and I ended up at a university I’d barely even researched. At that university, my major, international relations,&nbsp;required all sophomore students to study English in the U.S. for five months. I chose San Diego because I could do a homestay there, although I had never heard of San Diego before In the first month, I mostly spent time with other Japanese students who came with me. I wondered how I could make American friends. Then, I kept seeing someone named Teddy on Instagram through one of the guys I knew. I didn’t know who he was, but I thought it’d be nice to get to know him. Right before Thanksgiving in 2017, I happened to meet Teddy. After that, I started going over to his house almost every week to join the parties that are hosted at his place. About a month later, Teddy suddenly got down on one knee, as if he were proposing, and asked me to be his girlfriend. At first, I was like, "What is this guy saying?" I thought we were just friends, so I didn’t take it seriously. But no matter how many times I turned him down, he kept asking. Eventually, I thought, "Well, I’m going back to Japan in 2-3 months, so why not?" and decided to date him.From there, things were simple. He treated me like someone really special, always put me first, and kept giving me compliments, telling me how cute I was and beautiful, which I had never been told by anyone. Before I knew it, less than a month into dating, I was saying "I love you." When I returned to Japan, we started a long-distance relationship. Even though my parents took away my passport, we supported each other and found ways to meet. When Teddy visited Japan in May and November of 2018, my parents wouldn’t let me stay at a hotel with him. I had to lie, saying I was staying at a friend’s house, and video-called my parents from there before secretly going back to the hotel. (My parents still don’t know this, haha.)At first, I never imagined getting married and moving to the U.S. just for Teddy. But as I saw him work so hard for our future—going back to college while working full-time and getting promotions—I realized he was serious.If I had gotten into the university I wanted, I would never have met Teddy. That failure I experienced back then might have all been for the purpose of meeting him. That’s why I’ve decided to spend the rest of my life with him, my person of destiny.

Teddy & Risa

Teddy & Risa

Questions

⭐ General Questions

Aren't you guys married already?

How long have you been together?

What if I have allergies to certain foods?

Have Event Ideas or More Questions?

⭐ RSVP & Attendance

Can I bring a plus one?

Can I bring my kids?

⭐ Travel & Transportation

What airport should I use?

How do I take the train?

Can I use ride-sharing apps like Uber?

Should I rent a pocket WiFi or get a SIM card?

⭐ Money & Payments

Do I need to exchange money before arriving?

Can I tip at restaurants?

⭐ Gifts

Should I bring a gift?

⭐ Attire

Can I wear traditional Japanese attire?