Japanese way of tea and sweets

Shanica Blair, Gleaner Writer

Japanese nationals and their cultural influences are nothing new to Jamaicans. Their anime, cars, technological gadgets, fashion, and most important, their food and way of preparing them are not new to a lot of Jamaicans. But have you ever tried Japanese sweets, that is, traditionally made Japanese sweets?

Last Friday, the embassy of Japan and JAMPRO held an event demonstrating how to make Japanese tea and sweets, one of the activities planned to commemorate 50 years of diplomatic relations between Japan and Jamaica

The event, 'The way of Japanese tea and sweets-making demonstration', was held at the JAMPRO business auditorium with a full house excited to see the demonstration and sample the sweets.

The tea ceremony, which, according to Japanese culture can be held at any time during the day, comprises two parts. The sweets had to be made first, and then the tea, and it has to be in that order - not the other way around. Traditionally, Wagashi (sweets) are made the same day they are to be consumed.

While the purpose of the tea ceremony is to pursue how best a host can serve a bowl of tea to the delight of a guest, one simply cannot speak of tea without Wagashi. The combination of tea and sweets provides the perfect combination for the taste buds - the bitterness of the tea and the sweetness of the Wagashi. The best way for a guest to enjoy the tea is to have the Wagashi first and then sip the tea.

Ambassador of Japan to Jamaica, Yasuo Takase, told guests that the Chado or Sado, which translates as 'way of tea', is a spiritual practice formalised by Sen Rikyu in the 16th century. It is based on four principles: harmony (wa), respect (kei), purity (sei), and tranquility (Jaku).

"Chado incorporates these principles in the simple act of boiling water, making tea, and offering it to guests. The host serves Wagashi to the guest before the green tea, to enhance the taste of the tea as well as to express the creativity of the host through its taste and preparation," Takase explained.

Yoshino Higurashi and Yosuke Higurashi, both tea masters, demonstrated how to make various forms of Japanese sweets.

The first form was Kinton, which is made of a sweet bean paste. The red or white bean paste ball is covered by another layer of a roasted sweet bean paste. With different colours of roasted sweet bean paste, it can express the sensation of different seasons.

Konashi consists of azuki bean paste and flour. The mixture looks like clay and can be coloured and formed into a variety of shapes. Master Higurashi calls her version, the Yamamichi (mountain road), depicting an autumn forest with burning colours and a mountain range.

Kurumimochi is a simple sweet. Walnuts are chopped and roasted and then added to gyuhi - flattened sticky rice cakes. It is then wrapped with a sweet bean paste ball called andama.

The Uiro is a traditional Japanese steamed cake made of rice, flour, and a sweet bean paste. This is called Saomono which literally translates as 'wood stick'. This is because the shape looks like a wooden stick.

TEA CEREMONY

After the demonstration of the sweets-making, it was time for the Chado, or tea ceremony, which was conducted by tea master Yoshino Higurashi. Higurashi allowed guests to sample the sweets first. Then she proceeded to prepare the powdered tea for the guests using delicate hand movements according to custom. These hand movements are an expression of the host's inner beauty. It is based on the philosophy of ichigo ichie - a thought that you may never see that guest again, so it is important to do your best.

Hirugashi started the ceremony by purifying the tea utensils with a piece of cloth - the delicate movements also purifying the heart and mind simultaneously. As host, one strives to build harmony between oneself and one's guests.

The main purpose of the tea ceremony is to see how best a host can serve a bowl of tea. Harmony, respect, purity, and tranquility or the four principles of Chado were brought into play as she delicately mixed the powdered tea and served it according to custom, after which she purified the bowls with water first, then with a piece of cloth again, before putting them away neatly.