There are no laws against homosexuality in Japan. A ceremony in Cinderella’s castle, with Disney characters included on the guest list, costs 7.5m yen (£60,000). However, a wedding at Disneyland Toyko is not cheap. The park said it would accept all applications for same-sex wedding ceremonies. However shortly afterwards, a spokeswoman for Milial Resort Hotels, a subsidiary of Tokyo Disney Resort, said there had been a misunderstanding, telling Higashi and her partner they could dress how they pleased, although they would not be able to exchange vows in the chapel due to “Christian teachings”. Higashi was initially told she would be able to marry her partner provided they were dressed “like a man and a woman”, she wrote on her blog, as the staff at Disneyland, were concerned about how other visitors would react to the sight of couples both dressed in wedding dresses or tuxedos.
The resort’s statement came after 27-year-old bride-to-be Koyuki Higashi contacted Disneyland to enquire about marrying her female partner, Hiroko, there.
Tokyo Disneyland said this week it would allow gay couples to hold ceremonies on its grounds. While same-sex couples in Japan may not be able marry legally, Disneyland resort in Tokyo has become an unlikely supporter of gay marriage, by allowing couples to hold a commitment ceremony.
