Japanese telegraphs, デンポー 電報

We recently had a celebration in Japan to mark our wedding in June.  We didn’t have a blessing, just a wedding reception: hirouen, 披露宴.  So much of the reception was different to the way it is in my homeland.  One of the things I was most excited about was our telegraphs from people who weren’t there.  The reason I was so excited about this was because when I was studying Japanese in University our translation lecturer chose a number of newspaper articles for us to translate on Japanese telegraphs; denpo, デンポー,　電報. 

 

In Japan when a person sends a telegraph it is not just a message on a piece of paper.  Normally it comes as a card and usually it comes with a present.  Yes, a present!  We received eight telegraphs. Only one of which didn’t come with a present, but it came in an elaborate card. 

 

It is quite common to receive Disney themed telegraphs and I was delighted we received two of this type.  Below you can see Minnie Mouse and Winnie the Pooh telegraphs.  Winnie is holding a pod in his left hand (your right!), Minnie one her right hand (your left!), and within these pods are the actual telegraph messages.

Disney telegraph posts, denpo, for a Japanese wedding

 

My husband’s junior high school rubgy team sent us a telegraph and they chose to send a big bunch of balloon’s with it.  There was one massive balloon with a number of other balloons inside it.  The hotel prepared a needle on a stick for us, so that ourselves and the children at the reception could pop the balloons.  I believe this is common practise when balloons are received.  Below you can see my niece hesitantly popping one of the balloons:

Popping a balloon at a Japanese wedding reception

Of the other four telegraphs we recieved, one came with a minature Van Gogh painting, one with dried flowers in a frame, one with tea coasters and one with a beautiful fan.  Below is a photo of all the gifts, bar the balloons, we received with our denpo (Japanese telegraphs).

Some typical Japanese denpo / telegraph presents