Japanese woman’s $980 wedding to Kazuma Kiryu goes viral during Like a Dragon event

A photo of a Japanese woman taking part in a mock wedding with a cardboard cutout of Kazuma Kiryu has gone viral on social media, prompting widespread discussion about the nature of the ceremony.

The images, shared on December 9, showed the woman dressed in a full wedding gown standing beside a life-size panel of the Like a Dragon protagonist.

One widely shared post joked, “A woman in Japan has officially married Kazuma Kiryu. How are we as men supposed to compete with the Dragon of Dojima?” A separate post from RT described the situation as “woman, 25, just marries a cardboard video game character.”

The viral moment was not a legal marriage but part of a promotional event created by Sega and RGG Studio to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Like a Dragon series.

The organisers designed an exhibition themed around “The Four Ceremonies of Life,” which includes a marriage segment where fans can stage a faux wedding with one of eleven major characters such as Kiryu, Majima, Ichiban and Seonhee. The venue is styled to resemble a traditional wedding hall and offers attendees the opportunity to pose for photographs with life-sized character panels.

According to Automaton, the exhibition also features an AR app enabling visitors to create customised couple photos using newly drawn character artwork produced for the anniversary. The image that spread online originated from the event’s premium tier, the Special Wedding Experience Package, priced at $980 (150,000 yen).

This option includes a private room, professional hair and makeup services, a dedicated photographer and the choice of a tuxedo or gown. Participants may invite up to ten guests and are provided with commemorative marriage and divorce certificates, which hold no legal validity. Entry is limited to fifteen applicants selected by lottery.

The Four Ceremonies of Life Exhibition runs from November 28 to December 22 in Tokyo and from February 6 to February 24 in Osaka.