Sake ceremony - Sake ceremony

Japanese: 盃事 - さかずきごと

The act of exchanging sake cups and solidifying a promise. Sake was originally a special drink, brewed for religious ceremonies, and was passed around among many people to connect spirits with people, and between people, and to strengthen and confirm that connection. Eventually, sake cup ceremonies also came to be held when people vowed to form close relationships with each other. Since the early modern period, small cups have come into use as vessels for drinking sake, and people now drink from their own individual cups, but at New Year's toso and wedding ceremonies, people still drink from the same cup, retaining the original meaning.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

盃をとりかわしそれによって約束をかためること。酒はもとはハレの飲みもので，神祭に際して醸され，ひとつ盃を大勢で飲みまわして神霊と人，人と人を結合させたり，その結合を強化，確認するためのものであった。やがて人間相互の緊密な関係の誓いに際しても盃事が行われるようになった。近世以来酒を飲む器として猪口盃が普及しめいめいの盃で酒を飲むようになったが，正月の屠蘇（とそ）や婚姻の際の盃事ではまだ同じ盃で飲みかわしており元の意義を残している。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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