 About
the event - Qs & info
Gift
giving
- kekkon'iwai
- けっこんいわい
Heck
no, we're not registered anywhere. We don't need
anything! Really! Please just bring yourselves. We could
not fit another thing into the house. If you would like
to contribute some $$ toward paying off the ceremony and
the honeymoon, you are more than welcome to! Hey this
even matches with Japanese wedding tradition. Gift
giving was never done at the wedding. Gifts or
money gifts called "goshugi" - beautifully
wrapped in a money envelope called "iwai-bukuro"
was given at the wedding reception by guests to help the new couple pay for
wedding and reception costs. Hey we're almost
traditional ;)
Really...
No Gifts! Lotsa people are tryin' to buy us stuff
anyway. We really really have no room :)
Hotel
- hoteru - ホテル
A
couple good places to stay - The
Marriott Courtyard on Linden Ave, and Woodcliff
Lodge off Rte 96.
Wedding
- kekkonshiki - けっこんしき
The
wedding itself will actually start at 3:30 though the
invites say 3. Apparently it's bad luck to be married at
the top of an hour... This will also give the chronic
stragglers some breathing space!
San
San Kudo
- Sansankudo - さんさんくど
or 三々九度
"Sansankudo no Sakazuki"
generally called "sakazuki-goto,"
is the traditional custom at every wedding performed
according to Shinto rites
- Long
ago in Japan, sake played an important role in tying
together the gods and common people. Therefore, one
would never drink alone, but always in groups. There are
now many old customs which have lost their meaning or
popularity, but the drinking of sake at wedding
ceremonies, known as "Sansankudo no sakazuki",
a major focus of the ceremony, continues to thrive even
in modern culture. "Sansankudo no sakazuki"
brings the gods in between humans to help them, through
the sharing of sake, come closer together and create a
bond of friendship.
San-san-kudo literally
means "three, three, nine times." The
cup used at san-san-kudo
is a special one called "sakazuki," which is
only used to drink sake and no other beverages. The bride
and groom take turns taking three sips each of three
different bowls of sake, each one larger than the next.
One does not drink the sake like a 'shot' but rather
tilting the cup up very gradually and sipping lightly.
Three is an indivisible number, and it is considered a
sacred number in Buddhism. Nine means triple happiness.
But just as the san-san-kudo sake sips may not be
altogether delicious, the couple's marriage life may not
always be delightful, but they will have to overcome
their hardships with the co-operative spirit of the
san-san-kudo. By exchanging the nuptial sake
sips—three times three—husband and wife are united.
Please enjoy the sake
provided by our bridesmaids! Nearer to the end of our
ceremony we will ask you to drink with us, to seal our
bond of friendship. Typically for this toast the guests
would shout "kampai", a toast in Japanese.
Reception
- hirouen - ひろうえん
Will be taking place at
the house too. Go in the dog yard at your own risk :).
There will be sushi - mostly maki rolls (fish or other
seafood in a roll of rice), and some nigiri (a piece of
fish on a bed of rice). For the vegetarians there will
be some safe maki, and for the curious but faint of
heart there will be cooked maki rolls made of familiar
things like crab meat and avacado. There will also be
some non-japanese food from a little place called
Aladins. Also a good bet for vegetarian friends. If you
don't like either of these things you can always fill up
on cake, cookies and beer!
 Sake!
- sake -
さけ
Yes there will be sake.
Specifically Momokawa
sake! We have a fine assortment of Momokawa including
Diamond, Ruby, Pearl and their flavored version
Moonstone Hazelnut. There will also be a bottle of Ozeki
sake for those who like it warm. See details below for
the Momokawa sakes.
- Momokawa Diamond
- Very smooth, slightly dry, sweet aroma. A true "ginjo"
highest quality ingredients and methods). Excellent
choice for fans of medium body red wines and gin
drinkers. Easy yet full tasting on the palate; a
flowing stony dry taste that is excellent with
grilled meats and pan fried seafood.
Pairs well with: Seafood and lightly grilled meats.
- Momokawa Ruby
- Mellow with a soft mouth feel. Slightly sweet
aroma, light melon flavors. Excellent choice for new
sake drinkers and fans of light red and dry white
wines.
Pairs well with: Light sauces, pasta, green salads,
and fish.
- Momokawa Pearl
- A true "Nigori Genshu" (antique
style, unfiltered). Sweet and full bodied, coconut
aroma. Complex yet approachable. Excellent
choice for connoisseurs and new sake drinkers.
Roughly filtered "Nigori" saké, which is
naturally sweet; creamy, almost coconut-like flavor;
highly recommended with heavily spiced foods.
Momokawa Pearl is 18% alcohol so be careful, it is
so smooth and easy to drink it can creep up on you!
Pairs well with: Spicy cuisines, curry and
coconut flavors.
- Moonstone
Hazelnut - A bright, fresh, hazelnut scent with
vanilla beans and caramel nuances, followed by a
palate freshening, off-dry taste.
Pairs well with: desserts.
- Moonstone Asian
Pear - A very subtle infusion of pear flavor
makes this more pure saké-like when it enters the
palate - soft, easy, slightly sweet - and finishing
with a crisp, pear-like fruitiness.
- Moonstone
Raspberry - Quite in your face raspberry aroma
which appeals to folks who don't drink much. Often
used, as are many of the sakés, as a cocktail mixer
in place of white spirits or served straight on the
rocks.
What
next? -
tsugi - つぎ
Ahhh... Vacation... Once
the house is cleaned up and the guests are extracted we will
be heading off far far away to enjoy some rock climbing...
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2024 
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