English Soup by Chikako Kobayashi

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Tying an International Knot Part 1    国際結婚　パート１

Justin and Nicole attend their first Japanese Shinto wedding. Craig: We present our gift money at the reception desk ...　

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Craig's wife, Denise: ... where we also sign our names in a book.

Nicole: What about the ceremony itself? I'm nervous.

Justin: Don't worry.

C: Right, you know the drill.

Justin: Follow Craig's lead, unless his foot falls asleep.*

D: What are you talking about?

C: Never mind. Anyway, the couple will enter last. There will be bowing, standing and sitting ...

D:  ... lovely gagaku music.

C: And sips of celebratory sake.

D: At the reception, we'll probably be served food with auspicious associations.

C: And try not to mention inauspicious words like "cut," for example, even though wedding cake is commonly served. The act of cutting the cake is called either "cake cut" in English, maybe because it doesn't have the emotional impact of saying the same thing in Japanese, or "the entering of the blade" in Japanese.

N: I better keep my mouth shut, just in case.

(To be continued.)

＊２００７年１２月１日号「安らかに眠れ」で、足がしびれて立てなくなったエピソードより

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