Via CNN: a Tokyo temple is now offering “divorce ceremonies” — the anti-thesis of the wedding ceremony, to help splitting couples bring a civilized end to their relationship.

According to the temple officials who provide the service, they have seen a rapid rise in demand for their “divorce ceremonies”. Japanese divorce levels have reached a high of 25%, meaning that one out of every four weddings held in the country ends in a split.

The divorce ceremony was designed to reflect the opposite of the symbolism connected with wedding ceremonies. The former couple are taken to the venue separately, with their own entourages. They then enter a hall decorated with symbols referring to “the end” or “a conclusion”, where several words are spoken by the officiator about the mutual desire of the couple to end their marriage.

The most important rite of the ceremony involves destroying the wedding bands and the engagement ring with a mallet shaped and painted like a frog. The frog mallet bears a special significance: the Japanese word for frog “kaeru” (蛙), is also the word for change — albeit with a different kanji (変える). By destroying the physical symbols of the dissolved marriage with “change”, the relationship is officially over and the former couple can continue with their lives.

The couple then leave the temple separately to end the ceremony. Some couples also opt to hold a reception after the ceremony — just like a wedding, but with two separate “presidential tables” hosting each half of the newly divorced couple and their respective friends and family. The couple are seated facing away from each other, again to symbolize their separate lives.