VOL.202 APRIL 2025
ENJOYING JAPANESE SAKE, NIHONSHU
The Role of Sake in Japanese Traditional Rituals
The san-san-kudo ceremony held at a traditional Japanese wedding ceremony
In Japan, sake has played a significant role in religious services and celebrations. Offered as a sacred gift to the deities, it is said that during these rituals, people share sake with the deities, symbolizing a deepening connection with the divine and with each other. We spoke with HARADA Nobuo, a scholar well-versed in Japanese culture and Professor Emeritus at Kokushikan University, about the significance and role of sake in traditional rituals.
In traditional Japanese wedding ceremonies, especially Shinto-style weddings1, still practiced in modern Japan, there is a ritual called san-san-kudo2 (meaning ‘three-three-nine times’). In this ceremony, the bride and groom take turns sipping three sips of sake from three sakazuki cups3, symbolizing their union and the joining of families. Sake has traditionally been associated with celebratory occasions in Japan. During a ceremony known as kagami-biraki4, a wooden mallet is used to break open a sake barrel (sakadaru)5, and everyone shares the sake inside. In this way, sake is considered an essential part of rituals and celebrations. HARADA explains the background behind this tradition.
“Japanese people have always valued rice. Since ancient times, raw rice itself, rice cakes made from rice, and sake brewed from rice have been offered in religious ceremonies. After being presented to the deities, people share in the offerings through a ritual called naorai6. This is not merely a banquet; it is a significant ceremony in which both the deities and people enjoy the same food, symbolizing the exchange of hearts and minds.”
The san-san-kudo ceremony is also based on the concept of sharing food with the deities and has been passed down as a vow between the couple.
In addition, Japan has an important ritual called niiname-sai7, held every year on November 23. This ritual is a thanksgiving for the harvest of the year’s major crops, such as rice and wheat. It has been practiced as a court ceremony since ancient times.
HARADA continues to explain the role of sake in this ceremony. “The niiname-sai at the Imperial Court is a rite in which the emperor offers new grains and sake brewed from these new crops to the deities, expressing gratitude for their divine blessings. Afterward, the emperor himself shares in the offerings. It is considered the most important rite among the regular rites at the Imperial Court, with newly harvested rice cultivated by the emperor himself being offered.”
“The grand niiname-sai ceremony, held after the accession of a new emperor, is known as daijosai, with its central ritual being the Daijokyu-no-gi8. It is still only performed when a new emperor takes the throne. At both the niiname-sai and daijosai, it is said that the same sake is served to those in attendance during the post-rite celebrations and naorai. Even in the most solemn ceremonies at the Imperial Court, sake has been treated as the highest offering to the deities and has been carefully respected.”
In Japan, even today, it is common to see issho-bin bottles9 (1.8-liter sake bottles) and sake barrels offered at Shinto shrines. Especially at large shrines, many sake barrels are donated by local sake breweries and worshippers.
HARADA explains further: “In fact, historically, it was not uncommon for Shinto shrines to offer not only sake but also local specialties such as birds, fish, deer, and wild boar. However, after the Meiji era (1868–1912)10, offerings at most shrines across Japan became centered around rice, rice cakes, and sake. Sake made from rice, which holds a special significance for the Japanese people, continues to be cherished today as a sacred offering that connects the deities and people.”
Sake has played an important role in traditional ceremonies, such as the san-san-kudo ceremony for exchanging marriage vows, the kagami-biraki during various celebrations, and the niiname-sai and daijosai is for giving thanks the deities for a plentiful harvest. Understanding these rituals reveals that sake is not just a beverage but also embodies the traditional spirit of the Japanese people.
- 1. In this article, ‘Shinto-style weddings’ refers to wedding ceremonies based primarily on Shinto rituals.
- 2. A wedding ceremony conducted in a Shinto-style, where the bride and groom take turns pouring sake from three sakazuki cups. Based on the concept of sharing food, it deepens the bond between the couple and their families.
- 3. A type of sake cup with a wide rim, suitable for savoring a small amount of sake. Decorative lacquered versions are commonly used in ceremonial occasions such as weddings.
- 4. A ritual during celebrations where the lid of a sake barrel is opened. The lid was traditionally referred to as a ‘mirror’ at sake breweries, which is how the name ‘kagami-biraki’ (meaning ‘open the mirror’) originated.
- 5. A wooden container used to store sake and for use in rituals and celebrations.
- 6. After a festival, the offerings presented to the deities are shared by the priests and attendees. The fundamental significance of this practice, it is said, is the unity between the deities and the people.
- 7. In general, a ritual held on November 23, to give thanks for the year’s harvest of grain and other produce. It is also called Niiname Matsuri or Shinjosai. The festival is held at various shrines nationwide.
- 8. In addition to daijosai, these Japanese characters (大嘗祭) are also read as onie no matsuri or oname-sai (matsuri).
- 9. A traditional Japanese glass bottle with a capacity of 1.8 liters. ‘Sho’ is a unit of volume in Japan. It is widely used for the storage and serving of sake.
- 10. The practice of offering rice as the central offering to the deities became widespread at shrines across Japan following the 1868 order separating Shinto and Buddhism, issued as part of the government’s religious policies to clearly distinguish the two.
By TANAKA Nozomi
Photo: PIXTA