Midnight countdowns, marriage registrations and celebratory events: People welcomed the dawning of the new imperial era, Reiwa, at various locations in Tokyo on Wednesday with a festive mood.
In the middle of the unprecedented 10-day Golden Week holiday, a lot of municipal offices were busy accepting marriage registrations — many couples seemed to feel that the beginning of the new era was the perfect opportunity. Some offices even offered little extras, such as setting up special photo booths for the occasion.
Officials at Sumida Ward, Tokyo, said they received a number of inquiries on how marriages could be registered on the first day of the Reiwa Era after the government disclosed the new era name last month.