Omukae Ceremony

It's the "Omukae Ceremony". =^^=

Hope Cassiel doesn't mind me posting these links:
http://www.crysania.com/angels/gallerypages/events/20050123.html
http://www.crysania.com/angels/gallerypages/events/20050205-ceremony01.html

 

Hieru pretty much covered the gist of it. ^_^ But hey, I may as well go into detail!

The ceremony is called the' Omukae Ceremony', which translates as 'greeting ceremony', but in English on the cards and stuff they give you, it's written as 'Blessed Ceremony'.

The Ceremony is a totally free service provided by Volks for the pleasure of SD owners. You can book it at any Tenshi no Sumika. (Or of course Tenshi no Sato -- doing it at Sato is the most satisfying. ^^) Even overseas visitors can book one for when they come to Japan if they want -- you can email Volks via the website and tell them when you will be in Japan and pick a Sumika location and time you want to do it. Erin did this when she picked up her boy Lawrence. ^^ (Of course, you can only do it with Volks dolls.)

They totally close the store, locking out (or in) the other patrons. Yes, other people will stay around in order to watch your ceremony and applaud and congratulate you afterwards.. it can be quite embarassing if there's a large crowd. ^_^; (Though when they all squee over your doll and tell you how cool he is, that's kind of nice!)

They play really peaceful, gentle music during the ceremony.. though when you lift the doll out of the casket, it switches to "Tonight I Celebrate My Love For You" which is both sweet and cheesy. *laugh*

The robe they wear is basically a long, heavy velvet cape over their normal black business suits. (It's always the store Manager who does the ceremony, who is always male.) Some stores have blue robes, some have red -- not sure if there are other colours, but I've seen ceremonies at 4 different places now. (3 red, 1 blue.)

First they put your doll in the casket (which is surrounded by pretty flowers and such, see above links!) and then put a semi-clear cover over it. Then the lights are dimmed. The Manager comes out carrying a silver candle in a holder and lights the candles directly over the casket, shedding light on your doll. They read a little script out to you.. (I did a translation once, have it here somewhere) about how destiny has brought the doll to you, and how you shall now have nothing but happy times together. How this day is the "birth" of your doll, and how life shall be bestowed into him/her. And that they hope that you shall live long together and that your doll shall bring you happiness, encouragement and healing. They then ask you to welcome the doll into your heart, and to breathe life into them. At this point, you blow out the candles, and if possible you're kind of meant to blow in the direction of the doll -- your breath is breathing life into them by doing that. ^_^ Then, they ask you to take the doll into your arms and welcome them, at which point they remove the cover from the casket, you pick up your doll, the lights come on, everyone applauds, and the music turns cheesy. ^^ They then do a lot of thank yous including thanking the people watching, so there's a lot of bowing involved. *laugh*

You're also allowed at that point to put your doll back into the casket and take as many photos of them there as you like. I even got a photo of Raiden (Em's boy, I did his ceremony for her) with the Volks Manager in his robe. ^^ (He held Raiden and made him wave to the camera, it was really cute!) Also you can invite friends along to take photos during the ceremony itself if you want to. This is the ONLY time cameras are allowed to be used inside Volks stores so it's quite an occasion! *grin*

Oh yeah, and after the ceremony, they get you to hold your doll and they take a photo of you, which they will later send to you printed out on a special memorial card with flowers and pretty pics and stuff around it -- this is your 'Memorial Photo'. If you're not living in Japan, you can get it delivered to a friend in Japan. (I received Erin's for her.) It takes about 2-3 weeks to arrive. I have a scan of mine here somewhere, I think, if anyone is interested.

The ceremony is minutely different at Sato (for starters, there's a long red carpet to walk up, and also, they set out seats and call out over the PA for everyone to come and watch @_@) and includes an extra paragraph or so at the beginning of the speech. Something about how a long journey and the guidance of heaven has brought you here, to welcome your other self hidden within you as your companion, as I recall. Also, the Memorial Photo they send you has a different design.

Errr.. was that too detailed? *laugh* I love the Omakue Ceremony, I've done two for me, and one for a friend, and I intend to do at the very least two more for me and two more for friends while I am here this time. My ceremony with Zafkiel, who is my dearest and closest boy, which I did at Sato, which is my favourite Volks location, was such a touching and special event for me that I nearly bawled my eyes out during it. (And I only managed to stop myself because I realised the Volks President was taking photos of me. ;^_^)

 

awww this all sounds so sweet. it would be great to have that kind of bonding ceremony with your doll...but I guess for those people who often sell their dolls or change them a lot it might not matter as much??

either way it's such a nice idea...

 

Cassiel I'm only a little bit jealous of you. x3

When I go, I'll have the same done for my Dears. (^_^) So they don't need to be newly bought to do it? x3 Sato sounds so pretty!

Heee! x3 Awww... so cute, getting teary eyed. Then the president being there, wow! Is he there often at the stores? In your LJ you mention seeing him on the cruise, and indicating that he'd known you before?

I'm jealous. x3 Kidnap me and let me come to Japan with you!!! I cook and clean!

x3 (^___~)

 

That sounds so awesome, but I want to hear more, guys!

If possible, I want to know as much as possible about what they say during the ceremony, 'cause I want to preform my own version (in my bedroom) for Ichiiro's first birthday.

 

o___o Well, I know what I'm doing when I go to Japan this summer on top of ordering a FCS boy...

o___o Wow. That sounds stunningly beautiful. And I'm all big on Angels and the like, so it even enhances that. x3

 

everytime I read about that ceremony I start to cry. >.<

 

Wow, I'd heard about the ceremony before but never in that much detail, thank you! The pics are so nice as well.

 

Wow, now I'm glad I wrote it out in so much detail for you all. ^o^ It really is a very special occasion and if you are the type of owner who bonds strongly with your doll, then if you get a chance to do it while in Japan, I highly, highly recommend it!!

Do you do laundry too? If so, I'll have to kidnap you. ^_~

No, your doll doesn't need to be newly bought! When I did Zafkiel's ceremony I'd already had him for over 2 years. ^_^ You can go into Volks any time and ask to book to do a ceremony, and they'll arrange a time with you. Or, if you're at Sato, you ask one of the staff on the day you go and they'll organise it. I'd like to do Raziel's at Sato now because he hasn't had one either and he deserves a special one too!

As for the president, I'm really not sure if he's often at Sato or not. On that day (it was last February) I went with Aimee, and I think she had told Volks in advance that she was coming, and so they gave her (and me and Yuzuko, who were with her) very special treatment! They personally showed us around Sato, and we met the President, and Mikey, and several other important Volks staff members, and then all of them took us out to lunch. It was a real honour, the whole thing, and I'm so grateful to Aimee for letting us be a part of her special treatment!

So yeah, when I went on the cruise, I knew a lot of the Volks staff members already... and I was really happy that the President remembered me. ^o^

I have translated it fully, but I can't remember where it is on my computer atm. ^^; (This is a borrowed laptop and I had to rush getting all my files on it before I left Australia so it's a bit of a mess.) When I find it, I'll post it up for you, okay? ^_^ I believe my translation of it was also printed in Haute Doll in one of Aimee's articles... I can't remember the issue number though, and my copy is at home in Australia so I can't check. ^^; Sorry!!

 

i'm hoping they'll have a ceremony for the fCS in the LA store. When I get War, I'de like to have a ceremony ^_^

 

I hope the have a cermoney at the L.A. soore too, when I get my Volks FCS I want to book one for him.

 

Yes, I do laundry. x3 And I'm even cuddley, kidnap me and my Dears! x3 !!!

Wow! I'm so excited then, when I go I'll do that. (^o^) You can bring dolls into Volks...? I guess you could, they won't think you stealed them, they keep most of them locked up...

It's so neat you got to meet the important Volks people. (^_^) And Cassiel, it makes sense that you'd be special treated anyway, you're very knowledgeable anyway about them, and have been a long time fan of them. (^^) How long was your site up about them, when it was launched? You're the one that got me into SD, you brat. x3 Not very nice, I don't have nearly as much money to spend on other things now that I'm into them. ops: That was a long time ago though, I had to wait years until I could buy my Dears.

It all sounds so interesting! I saw the article in the mag that you're talking about, it was very good. I can't wait to go to Japan now even more, I should be more studious so I can get a good job. (^__^)

Ohh! A one in LA could maybe...? (^_^) That would be so great.

 

I dont have anything substantial to add. *L* I just wanted to basically echo Cassiel and say that having the ceremony at Volks is so very dear and special. Volks was really sweet and let me do the ceremony when I visited Japan. I had mine done right after Cassiels! It was such a sweet thing. It really made me feel like my doll was all the more closer and more special to me. I felt so loved by Volks, and so grateful for my doll. I will definitely never forget that experience, ever. I'm so happy that Volks is opening a store in CA, so that more people can do the ceremony without having to actually visit Japan (I know some people just can't go that far, you know?)

anyway, it was absolutely magical, and I have no great words to describe it. ops:

 

I also had the ceremony performed for Haika when I was in Japan this summer and I just wanted to add that it really is a truly wonderful experience. Before, whenever I read about someone's ceremony, I always got all teared up. But I totally cried at my own! LOL They were kind enough to read a translation of the ceremony in english for me.

I'm positive that they'll have it at the new Volks store in LA. They do it at all the Tenshi no Sumikas, I'm pretty sure. [/i]

 

IT'S ALIIIIIIVE! XD

Does anyone know if the artist (face-up artist, sculptor, etc.?) would be present at the ceremony? Kind of like "giving away the bride"?

I know that I can't afford to go to Japan, and I'm making my own doll anyway, but I was just wondering.

 

My first guess is to say no, as these people are probably working daily on other dolls and may be unable to commit to the event, especially if many dolls might be in line for the ceremony at the same time.

You know...I was puttering through this thread (it's been here a while!), and I realized that someone made the suggestion of having a mass welcoming ceremony at some convention or something.

Y'know..that could be interesting!

 

Oh! That would be awesome - like sleeping beauty, and you're bringing her back to life.

Oh~ I thought this was kind of creepy at first, but now I see how its a really great idea. Its almost like you're getting married

 

Hmm, I think that would be interesting! It'd be awesome--dozens of doll owners clutching their dolls and all of them brought to life all at once! XD

Except I think it would sort of destroy the point of the ceremony. It's supposed to be a very personal experience with your doll, so having a mass ceremony for a bunch of people at once would be more impersonal and probably less special. ops:

 

What about refusing the ceremony? Volks doesn't automatically plan it or anything, or get offended if you don't want it, right? I'm hoping to get a pair of FCS twins in the future, hopefully from the Volks shop in LA, and I don't want to go there to pick them up and they have everything all set up or anything. ^^;