Cards

Card giving is a special ordeal in Japan, and has a long history of traditions and rules. During weddings and other major celebrations, it's custom to give money rather than gifts, and is acceptable for people to ask only for money. Depending on what kind of event you're attending, the amount given ranges anywhere from $100 - $1000. Giving money as a present goes back hundreds of years, and money used to be considered "dirty" and corrupt, so it was important to shield the money by wrapping it in paper or silk before giving it to someone. The custom of wrapping money in decorative paper is called shuugi bukuro. When the paper is all closed up, it looks as if it's a regular card. However, there are many complicated layers.

Inside, there is an envelope for you to put the money in. The bills must be inserted in a manner where the receiver will see the face of Yukichi Fukuzawa on the note as soon as they pull the money out. The bills must be crisp and new and free from any creases - NEVER fold money. Also, for a wedding, you must give an odd number of bills, as an even number is easily divided and seen as an omen of divorce. On the outside of the envelope, you write your name, address, and the amount of money contained inside. Traditionally this is to be done entirely in kanji, so I did ours in both English and Japanese. It took me forever to write it out, but I did it! Once the envelope is complete, place it in the middle of the paper, and begin to fold it up. Start with folding the left side in first, and then the right side on top of that. Flip it over and fold the top down, and then fold the bottom up. Be sure to fold the top down first! Folding the bottom up first is done for funeral cards. The folded paper is held closed by a gorgeous wire band that is highly decorative. For weddings, the knotwork must be very colorful and intricate - a simply tied knot is looked upon as being untied easily, and a sign of divorce. The more complicated the knot, the better chance of the couple being together forever. Fancy knotwork on cards is also used for any event that you would NOT want repeated (for example, ideally you only want to marry once, meaning no divorce; and for mourning cards, since you don't wish for anyone else to die, resulting in more funerals). Simply tied cards, while not ideal for weddings or funerals, are used for events that you would want to happen again, such as being accepted into college, or having a baby.

There are strips of paper that come with the card that may be blank, or stamped with kanji that means celebration. You are to choose one and put your name on it, a little message if you like, and place it on the outside of the card, held in place by the cord knot. I chose the one with gold kanji because it's super pretty! After everything is folded and filled out, and the knot slipped back onto the card, you're done and ready to head to the party! If you're feeling really fancy, or if foul weather is expected and you want to keep your paper card safe, you can wrap the whole thing in a small silk cloth called fukusa.

Making sure to fold the top down first!