Today’s traditional nugget was inspired by my trip to Hawaii. While I covered many of the Hawaiian traditions last week, I witnessed a beautiful fusion wedding on my trip. A Japanese wedding set in a beautiful little chapel overlooking the stunning blue sea! With that in mind, I thought it might be a great opportunity to talk about some Japanese wedding traditions.

Image Via sarahpostma.com

A traditional custom in Japan, and among many Japanese Americans include the “san-san-kudo” sake sharing tradition, which translates to “three sets of three sips equal nine.” Three is an indivisible number, and it is considered a sacred number in Buddhism.

Image Via The Knot

The traditional Shinto ceremony honors the kami, the spirits inherent in the natural world. After a purification ceremony using a special branch called the harai-gushi, the priest calls to the gods to bless the couple. The ceremony ends with a ritual sharing of sake from three flat cups stacked on top of one another. Popularly called san-san-kudo, this ritual can be performed any number of ways, depending on your family’s custom. The groom may lead, taking three sips from the first cup, followed by the bride, who also takes three sips from the first cup. Then they move on to the second and third cups. The sake is then offered to the couple’s families.

In the U.S., Japanese Americans seeking a traditional ceremony turn to the country’s Buddhist traditions. One highlight of the ceremony is the rosary, or o juju, which has 21 beads of two different colors. Eighteen beads represent the couple, two represent each family and one represents the Buddha. Joined on one string, the beads symbolize the joining of the families. The san-san-kudo, more cultural than religious, is also performed at the Buddhist ceremony.

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