By William Hollingworth
     A pretty, thatched church has been recreated in an Osaka hotel so that Japanese couples can get a sense of English tradition at their wedding ceremonies.
     Work has just been completed on the construction of the church at Osaka's Monterey Grasmere Hotel which is modeled on All Saints Church in Brockhampton, Herefordshire, in England.
     But some Christians are opposed to the practice of Japanese hotels replicating churches to hold wedding ceremonies, arguing that it devalues what should be a solemn occasion.
     There are also concerns that those taking part are not necessarily Christians and could be merely attracted by the glamour of a traditional Western wedding.
     Rev. William Pridie, vicar of All Saints, told Kyodo News that Japanese developers were scouring the British countryside last year for suitable churches to recreate when they came ''by accident'' upon his establishment.
     All Saints was built in 1902 and is one of the few thatched churches in England. It is built of limestone and was constructed by local craftsmen. The church is nestled in picturesque countryside.
     Staff from European Connections Ltd. asked officials for permission to recreate the church in Japan and, once approval was given, they used laser cameras to ensure the dimensions were correct.
     They were taken with the church's sense of intimacy which is created by early English A-frame arches, rather than a traditional vaulted ceiling.
     Pridie said, ''We realized they could have gone ahead without asking us, so we were happy to be a part of it.'' The church was also given a ''nominal'' contribution in return.
     The church in Osaka lies inside a large glass atrium and is about three-quarters the size of the English original. It is on the 21st and 22nd floors of a large building.
     There have been some minor adjustments to the replica, due to a shortage of space, but Pridie is satisfied with the images he has seen.
     The Osaka replica even has its own churchyard and there are photographic studios, a restaurant nearby and in the upper levels is a honeymoon suite.
     It advertises bridal packages which cost 850,000 yen for 40 guests.
     Several hotels across Japan have recreated British churches due to increasing demand from couples who want a Western-style wedding but do not want to travel to Europe.
     Unlike the situation in Britain, couples cannot actually marry in a church or temple. Instead, they have a civil registration at a town hall and then can have a blessing or religious ceremony afterward.
     Many Japanese opt for Christian-style weddings in hotels, even though a very small minority of the population is Christian. The ceremonies often have a spiritual side to them and are presided over by retired priests, which is the situation at the Monterey Grasmere.
     A spokeswoman for European Connections defended the construction of replica churches, saying they allow Japanese to ''see'' and get a ''feel'' for Christian ceremonies.
     ''They may come back to the church and start learning Christianity. If you do not sow a seed, you will never get a flower,'' she added.
     But David Phillips, general secretary of the Church Society, which exists to uphold biblical teachings, said services at replica churches represented yet another blow to the sanctity of marriage.
     He said, ''What people (opting for replica churches) are looking for in a wedding is an exciting and memorable day, rather than seeing it as a solemn occasion when two people make a covenant for life.''
     Some couples also travel to Britain and other European countries to receive God's blessing in Christian churches, although, anecdotally, it would seem the numbers who do so are declining. Often these form part of a package deal and are arranged by Japanese companies.
     Several Church of England vicars have conducted Christian blessings for Japanese couples. The prescribed blessing of a civil marriage is the same as the one that is used for divorced couples who are not allowed to get married in churches but want to consecrate their new union.
     However, the blessing of Japanese newlyweds in Britain has been criticized by some clergymen who claim it devalues their religion.
     Pridie says he hopes that some of the Japanese couples using the replica church in Osaka might come and visit the real thing in England.
     But he personally would not perform a blessing for a Japanese couple at his church on the basis that they merely liked the look of the church.
     ''We could only do a blessing if they wanted it because of a Christian attitude and not just because they want to use the church,'' he said.
     Phillips agreed with this sentiment.
     He said that while Christians wanted to encourage marriage because it was good for society, he would want to interview any couple beforehand to ensure they were serious about the vows they were about to make.
     Rev. Martin Dudley, who has performed blessings for Japanese couples at his church in London, told Kyodo News, ''I find the Japanese couples very, very devout and they constantly impress me. St. Bartholomew's the Great (his church) is a profoundly spiritual place and they clearly respond to it. Nothing is said, by them or by me, that could be construed as a mockery of the Church (of England).''
==Kyodo