Wholehearted Hospitality with Only the Finest Ingredients

Readers may be familiar with the term kaiseki for Japanese haute cuisine but, in its original sense, kaiseki refers specifically to the meal served during chaji, a formal tea gathering. A chaji is a small, intimate tea ceremony in which the host carefully attends to a select group of guests.

The chakaiseki meal served at a chaji is deeply influenced by Zen Buddhism, and many of its rituals reflect that spiritual heritage. Just as there are prescribed ways of handling the utensils and receiving the tea in a simple tea ceremony where matcha tea and confections are served, every movement in chakaiseki – from how one picks up or puts down chopsticks to how tea utensils are handled – follows precise etiquette. These rules are not arbitrary; each gesture carries a meaning that is understood by the participants and reflects the mutual consideration and respect that underpins the relationship between host and guest.

Tomoyuki Ōno of Kobikichō Ōno restaurant in Yotsuya, Tokyo, tells us: “Those who are well versed in tea ceremony have internalized the etiquette so deeply that their movements appear completely natural. But when you try too hard to follow every rule, it can feel awkward and you may end up missing the joy of the meal and the tea itself. As long as you have a sense of good manners, you’ll be fine. Just relax, be yourself, and enjoy the experience.”

At Kobikichō Ōno, Ōno-san offers chakaiseki to just one group per day. His hope is for people to enjoy the world of tea ceremony in a relaxed way, without feeling hesitant about what to do. “The one thing I would caution,” Ōno-san says, “is to take care not to drop the tea bowl out of nervousness. The host uses cherished vessels to serve each guest, so it’s important to treat them with respect and appreciation.”

A typical chakaiseki meal follows the ichijū-sansai (one soup, three side dishes) structure and includes offerings such as shii-zakana (the strongly-flavoured course served with sake) and hassun (a seasonal tasting platter). While the form is based in tradition, the menu for each occasion is thoughtfully crafted to reflect the season, the spirit of the event, and the preferences of the guests. Dishes are prepared simply, using seasonal ingredients to highlight the natural flavour of each element.Ōno-san reflects on the deeper meaning behind the cuisine: “When it comes to chaji, the host chooses the very best ingredients, vessels, and utensils they can prepare. They put their heart and soul into creating a thoughtful and deeply personal experience for their guests. I hope more people come to appreciate this beautiful aspect of Japanese culture.”

The Overall Flow of a Traditional Chaji (Tea Gathering)

Each movement and element in a chakaiseki meal or chaji carries specific meanings and etiquette, which may vary depending on the school of tea. Here, without delving into the detailed formalities, we offer a general overview of the typical flow of a chakaiseki gathering.

① Sekiiri (Entering the Room)

After gathering in the waiting area and drinking a cup of hot water, the guests cleanse their hands and mouths at the chōzu (hand-washing station). They then enter the tea room through the nijiriguchi (“crawling-in entrance”), a low entrance requiring guests to enter on their hands and knees, symbolising humility and the transition into the space of the tea ceremony.

② Shozumi (Preparing the Charcoal)

To prepare for the later serving of thick matcha tea (koicha), the host adds charcoal to the hearth, adjusting the heat for optimal brewing. This act, known as sumi-temae, is a crucial part of the tea ceremony, demonstrating the host’s care in creating the perfect conditions for the tea.

③ The Kaiseki Meal

The host does not dine with the guests during the kaiseki meal. Rather, in serving the meal, the host focuses entirely on the act of hospitality.

④ Nakadachi (Interval)

After the meal, the guests step outside for a quiet interval. During this time, the host transforms the tea room, removing the hanging scroll, arranging seasonal flowers, and making preparations for the next part of the gathering. When everything is ready, a gong is sounded to call the guests back.

⑤ Koicha (Thick Matcha Tea)

After purifying their hands and mouths once more, the guests resume their places in the tea room. The host prepares and serves koicha, a thick matcha tea.The guests drink from the same bowl in turn, as the bowl is passed from one guest to the next. Guests then take time to appreciate the tea bowl’s form and craftsmanship.

⑥ Gozumi (Second Charcoal Ceremony)

The host adds fresh charcoal to the hearth to replenish the fire, and tops up the water in the kettle. This quiet act ensures that the atmosphere remains warm and inviting as the gathering continues.

⑦ Usucha (Thin Tea)

Dry sweets are served and the host prepares usucha, or thin tea, whisking a bowl for each guest individually. As the host puts the utensils away, the guests take time to appreciate the tea container, reflecting on its craftsmanship, material, and seasonal appropriateness.

⑧ Taishutsu (Departure)

The gathering closes with parting bows and words of thanks. The host kneels at the nijiriguchi to perform a final gesture of respect, known as the okuri-rei, to see the guests off.

※ Note: In summer, a portable brazier is used instead of the sunken hearth, so the charcoal procedures are omitted.

The Flow of the Chakaiseki Meal Itself

We take inspiration from a seasonal course offered at Kobikichō Ōno during early September, when the Chrysanthemum Festival is celebrated as a wish for longevity, to illustrate the typical flow of a chakaiseki meal and the type of dishes that might be served.

1. Mukōzuke

Bluefin tuna with lily bulb in clear broth

Service begins with a tray bearing a bowl of rice and soup placed at the front, and the mukōzuke (frequently seasonal sashimi) to the rear. In the Urasenke tea tradition, the rice is mounded in a neat horizontal line. Each guest opens the lids of their rice bowl and soup bowl at the same time, with both hands, eating some of the rice first, then finishing the soup. The host then enters with a sake warmer to pour sake. Next, the host brings the rice container, and a second serving of both rice and soup is offered. Guests politely decline the host’s help by rotating the rice container, and then serve themselves.

2. Nimono-Wan (Simmered Dish)

Kisewata (sesame tofu, steamed sea urchin, leafy greens, yuzu, and matsutake mushroom)

Ingredients simmered in a light broth, accompanied by greens and yuzu, are served in a lacquered bowl, often decorated with gold or silver. The second serving of sake is poured, after which the sake pot is entrusted to the guests. “Kisewata” refers to a historical custom associated with the Chrysanthemum Festival, in which a cotton cloth is placed over chrysanthemum flowers to be infused with their dew and fragrance. It was believed that if one patted this cloth over the body, it would bring long life. This dish is a nod to that tradition; the sea urchin represents the chrysanthemum, while the sesame tofu stands in for the cotton.

3. Yakimono (Grilled Dish)

Salt-grilled barracuda

The grilled dish is served on a shared platter, with one portion per guest. A pair of serving chopsticks made of fresh green bamboo is placed alongside, having been sprinkled with water to purify them. Each guest uses these to serve themselves, transferring a portion to their own mukōzuke bowl. Seasonal fish is typically served for this course, and the spirit of hospitality shines through in the meticulous preparation, with every bone having been carefully removed.

4. Shiizakana (Richly-Flavoured Dish)

“Lotus & Chrysanthemum Serenity” (top), Simmered duck with potatoes (bottom)

In a traditional chakaiseki meal based on the ichijū sansai (one soup, three dishes) structure, the main portion of the meal concludes with the grilled dish. From the shiizakana course onward, the selection becomes more flexible and is shaped by the host’s creativity. Typically, shiizakana refers to a dish served as a companion to sake. These dishes often feature seafood, chicken or duck, as meats such as beef and pork are not used. At Kobikishō Ōno, a second shiizakana is also served under the name Onajiku (meaning “ditto”). After the shiizakana comes a second serving of soup, followed by the removal of the rice container.

5. Kozuimono (Small Clear Soup)

Clear soup with malva nut

The small clear soup marks a symbolic pause in the meal. This course is also known as “chopstick-rinsing”. Not to be taken literally, this is the term for “palate cleanser”. At this point, the meal is considered to have reached a temporary conclusion, and the soup serves to cleanse the palate in preparation for the next course, hassun, where sake is enjoyed more fully. For this reason, the soup is usually delicately seasoned and light in flavor. At Kobikichō Ōno, a light soup of kombu dashi and malva nut is served.

6. Hassun

Okra, karasumi (salted dried fish roe)

Hassun refers to a course served on an eight-sun (approximately 24 cm) square wooden tray, from which it takes its name. It marks the shift from the meal to the enjoyment of sake, and is intended to harmonize food with drink. Two types of side dishes, one from the sea and one from the mountains, are served. The host pours sake for the guests and places portions of the food onto the upturned lids of the small soup bowls. There is a portion for the host as well, who shares sake in a cup borrowed from a guest. Host and guests enjoy the food together and engage in suki-zatsudan – light-hearted conversation related to the world of tea.

7. Kōnomono, Yutō (Pickles and Hot Water)

Cucumber, carrot, yunoko

Finally, the pickles, served in a shared bowl, are passed around and taken in turn. Hot water is poured into both the rice and soup bowls, and this is drunk to cleanse the vessels. Yunoko refers to the scorched rice at the bottom of the cooking pot. Traditionally, hot water was poured into the pot in which the rice had been cooked and the scorched bits on the bottom scraped up. This practice, originating in Zen temple customs, conserves precious water and purifies both the bowls and the cooking pot through the act of eating. At Kobikichō Ōno, the rice is grilled to make a rice cracker, and this is used to impart a toasted flavour to the hot water.

8. Koicha, Usucha (Thick Tea and Thin Tea)

After the meal, a main sweet is served. The guests then temporarily leave the room for an interval known as nakadachi. After that, the main part of the tea gathering begins, with the host performing the procedures for thick tea (koicha), then the second charcoal procedure, and thin tea (usucha).

At Kobikichō Ōno, the owner Tomoyuki Ōno, who practices the tea ceremony, changes into kimono and, when the tea room is prepared, calls for the guests. The guests then move to the tea room, observe his tea preparation, and are served usucha.