"Everything You Need to Know about 'San San Kudo': The Beautiful Meaning Behind the Ritual and Tips to Present It Elegantly"

One of the rituals of the Shinto wedding ceremony: "San-san-kudo"

One of the rituals of the Shinto wedding ceremony: "San-san-kudo".

The cups used in San-san-kudo are also known as "San-kon no gi," "San-san-kudo no hai," or "Fuufu katame no sakazuki".

San-san-kudo refers to the ritual in which the bride and groom share and drink sake.

Those brides planning a traditional wedding have probably heard of it at least once... but do you know the "meaning" of San-san-kudo in detail?

Many brides may know what to do generally, but may not know the deeper significance!

Therefore, this time we will thoroughly explain the meaning, flow, and method of San-san-kudo, as well as tips for etiquette and drinking beautifully.

【Shinto Ceremony】 What is the meaning of the "cup" in San-san-kudo?

First, we will introduce the meaning of the tools used in San-san-kudo, the "cup."

In San-san-kudo, three cups of different sizes are used for drinking sake, and each cup represents a different time axis: past, present, and future.

Small cup: Represents the past. It expresses gratitude from the bride and groom to their ancestors for their union.

Medium cup: Represents the present. It symbolizes the couple's commitment to live together harmoniously and support each other.

Large cup: Represents the future. It signifies the prosperity of both families and the flourishing of their descendants.

Additionally, it is said that these three cups each also represent "human," "earth," and "heaven."

【Shinto Ceremony】 What is the flow of San-san-kudo?

Next, we will introduce how San-san-kudo is performed.

① The shrine maiden pours sacred sake (miki) from a flask into one cup three times.

② The couple drinks the sacred sake in three rounds.

③ Repeat steps 1 and 2 in order.

《Order》

First cup (small): Groom ➡ Bride ➡ Groom

Second cup (medium): Bride ➡ Groom ➡ Bride

Third cup (large): Groom ➡ Bride ➡ Groom

Drinking in three rounds has significance; the first sip is for the gods, the second for family, and the third for guests, expressing gratitude and commitment.

There are two ways to drink: the first is to drink in three rounds with small sips, and the second is to touch the cup to the lips for the first two sips and take a full sip for the third. Either way is acceptable.

"Using three cups, pouring three times, and drinking three times totals nine sips of sacred sake, which is why it's called San-san-kudo."

The use of odd numbers, which cannot be evenly divided, is also a feature of this traditional ceremony.

While drinking the official nine sips is traditional, nowadays it is common to omit the last sip from each cup, resulting in a total of six sips.

Drinking alternately from a single vessel symbolizes the strengthening of a bond and the vow to share life's joys and sorrows together.

San-san-kudo is a ceremony that strengthens the bond between the couple and expresses gratitude to the gods, family, and guests.

Next, we will share tips on how to perform San-san-kudo beautifully and elegantly.

Key Point 1 for a Beautiful San-san-kudo: Hold the cup properly to your mouth

Before performing San-san-kudo, the first thing to keep in mind is that,

"The sleeves of the kimono are heavy, making it difficult to bring the cup to your mouth."

Senior brides have all said, "I was so surprised by how heavy the kimono was since I never wear traditional garments!" and "It was a struggle to lift my arms...!"

Because the sleeves are heavy, it can be tempting to bring the cup to your mouth in an ungraceful manner.

Bringing the cup to your mouth can lead to a hunched posture, which is not elegant.

Therefore, it is recommended to practice lifting your arms while wearing a colorful uchikake or a pure white kimono before the actual ceremony. Get used to the weight of the sleeves, and during the ceremony, lift your arms properly while maintaining good posture.

Key Point 2 for a Beautiful San-san-kudo: Align your fingers

When performing San-san-kudo, be sure to hold the cup with aligned fingers.

The proper grip is with the thumb facing you and the other fingers on the opposite side.

If there's a gap between the fingers or if the grip is different, it won't look neat, so be mindful of aligning your fingers and the way you hold the cup.

Key Point 3 for a Beautiful San-san-kudo: It's okay not to finish the sacred sake

The final point is that for brides who are not good with alcohol or are abstaining, it is acceptable not to finish the sacred sake.

It’s easy to think you must finish the sake that has been poured for you, but even in small cups, drinking several can lead to overindulgence.

Therefore, brides who cannot drink can simply take a small sip or touch the cup to their lips and make the drinking gesture without feeling pressured.

Understand the Meaning Well and Approach San-san-kudo with Beautiful Etiquette

We have introduced the meaning of San-san-kudo and tips for performing it beautifully.

Each ritual in the Shinto wedding ceremony has its own significance. Please understand the meaning properly and approach the ceremony with elegant etiquette.

Recently, in casual traditional weddings, there may also be performances of "San-san-kudo." The method is essentially the same as in the Shinto ceremony.

It is sure to be a wonderful wedding that will move everyone’s hearts!

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