“Divorce Ceremonies” Help Some Unload Emotional Baggage

As divorces become more and more common in Japan, many are struggling with what their new lives will be like and what their marriages meant. Even after the legal aspects of a divorce, such as the division of property and child custody, are settled, some find it hard to find closure.

Now, some are turning to divorce ceremonies to help mend the emotional side of their divorce and to let friends and family better understand that their union is over. These divorce ceremonies are solemn events that include a walk down the street with family and friends, breaking the wedding bands with a hammer, and a dinner in which the ex-spouses sit at separate tables as a symbol of their new independent lives.

While we have no idea of the concept of divorce ceremonies will ever hit the United States, it seems that the small events are gaining popularity in Japan because of the closure and ritual that they provide.