On April 6, 2002, Shinto clergy
and musicians gathered to celebrate an auspicious Shinto wedding
ceremony at the Church Center for the United Nations in New York.
Mr. Shiro Shintaku, an instructor of
Japanese martial arts from Kensington, Maryland, was united in
holy matrimony with Ms. Melanie G. Sentelle, also of Kensington,
and a martial arts student of Mr. Shintaku. Attended by over sixty
family members and guests, the wedding ceremony began with the
ritual entrance of the Shinto Priestess, Mrs. Setsuko Umeda of
Tokyo, Japan, accompanied by two Shrine Maidens (Miko). After
invocation of the Deities (Kami), bows, offerings and an announcement
of the marriage ceremony were made at the decorated wooden altar.
The bride and groom sip sacred sake (rice wine) and make their
vows to the gods and each other. Mrs. Umeda was assisted in the
ritual by Ms. Reina Hayashibara of Tokyo and Ms. Kaoru Fukuda
of New York as Shrine Maidens. Traditional Japanese instrumental
music was provided by a six-member troupe from the Tenri Cultural
Center of New York, and a flute solo was performed by Ms. Olivia
Marie Sentelle. The congregation was guided through the entire
ceremony by ISF Director-General Yoshimi Umeda.
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