#Ryotei Kinoene in #Kuki City, Saitama Prefecture, Japan.
Do not eat or drink until after the offering of the toast
It is good manners not to eat or drink at a meal for mourning, such as a vegetarian meal or a Buddhist memorial service, until after the offering of the first toast. It is considered rude to the attendees and the bereaved family members to take a sip of food before the toast is offered.
Do not clink glasses.
Since the toasting is not a festive occasion, the glasses are not clinked when the representative speaks. Raise the glass lightly in front of your chest and sip the drink quietly. Also, while toasts at festive occasions may be accompanied by applause and cheers, no applause is given during the toast offering.
Manners for Offering a Toast
If you are in a position to give the dedicatory address as a representative, you need to pay attention to various points more than attendees. It is important to know the etiquette in advance, as your actions will attract the attention of those around you.
Prioritize remembering the deceased.
In the dedication address, remembering the deceased should be a priority. The purpose of the toast offering is to express condolences to the departed and to wish them happiness in the afterlife. Therefore, it is good manners to focus on words of respect and condolences for the deceased in the toast offering.
Do not use abhorrent words or superlatives.
When giving the dedicatory address, be careful not to use words that are considered an anathema. Abhorrent words are words that are easily associated with continued misfortune or "death. Please be considerate when using such words, as they are bad luck and are disrespectful to both the deceased and the bereaved family. In addition, words such as "one after the other" and "begone," which are the same word over and over again, are also considered bad luck because they are associated with "repeated misfortunes," and should be avoided in the dedication speech.
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