Tradtional Japanese Dinner Party

[MartArtsNovice]

I wish to know how a to host a traditional japanese dinner party. I was curious, though I have heard they are enjoyable, but I dont know what is involved, or what the menu might consist of. I have heard Sake, can be served in these situations.

I have heard the tea ceremony is performed before the dinner, where can I find info on, what it is, and what it entails. Thanks in Advance

[Tri-ring]

‹Þ‰ê?V”N

Shin nen Akemashite Omedeto gozaimasu

Osechi Ryori or traditional new year feast are pre-cooked before the end of the year and served in lacquer boxes.
There are about 15~30 dishes and they all have a meaning, like work diligently, flourishing family and so on.
Preparing the meal will take time and some will take as much as 4 to 5 days if you start from scratch.
The meal will start with the host offering Otoso to the guests. Ceremonial protocol requires for the guest to drink the otoso in three sips. After the guests drink otoso, the guest offer the host otoso in return.
Then we move on to the feast, there is no ceremony involved from here just remember not to use your chopsticks in serving from the box, always use the serving chopsticks.
There will also be a soup with rice cakes (Omochi) within it. It is called Ozoni. Ozoni differs from region to region and and the soup could be a broth or miso soup. The only commonality is that rice cake (Omochi) will be in the soup.
If you are invited to a Japanese home and IF they have kids don't forget Otoshidama. Consider it as Christmas presents except the kids are expecting cold cash.

K.Miwa

[MartArtsNovice]

Hey, Thanks for the Info,

May I ask you, what is Otoso. Thanks in advance, and for the reply.

[MartArtsNovice]

Whats usually served at a tradtional japanese dinner, ie main course, appetizers, drinks, and what types of food are present. Is it beef, pork, poultry, seafood, or vegetables as a main dish. Whats usually served for a dessert.

[Tri-ring]

Konichiwa Matthew-san,

For your question concerning Otoso, it is written on another thread. As for traditional Japanese dinner, well are you talking about a formal one?
If so, it starts with "Sakizuke( ?æ•t‚¯ ?j" or appetizers followed by "Otukuri( Œä‚Â?E‚è )" or sashimi, then "Agemono( —g‚°•¨ )" or Tempura, then "Owan( Œä˜o )" or steamed or boiled item in a bowel, "Yakimono( ?Ä‚«•¨ )"or Grilled item, followed with "Oshokuji( ‚¨?HŽ– )" or rice with miso soup and tukemono(pickeles), and ends with "Mizugashi( ?…‰ÙŽq )" or desert which will probably be fruit of the season.
The receipes differ from season to season but it is usually fish and/or something from the sea and vegetable and kinoko.
You may find beef, chicken and or even some kind of gibier or game meat.
It is all based on philosophy of Sado( ’ƒ“¹ ), entertain your guests using the best of your abilities for it maybe the last time you meet with that person. [Ichigo Ichie ( ˆêŠúˆê‰ï )]
The word "Gochiso( ‚²’y‘– )" means feast but literary it means the host "to run around" to collect the best of ingredients to serve to the guests, not the other way around.
Hope this helps.

K.Miwa

[Brian Owens]

Originally posted by MartArtsNovice
I wish to know how a to host a traditional japanese dinner party....I have heard the tea ceremony is performed before the dinner, where can I find info on, what it is, and what it entails. Thanks in Advance
The Tea Ceremony, called Chado or Cha-no-yu in Japanese, is an art form that requires a lot of study and practice under a sensei, much like martial arts do. Each step in seting up for your guests, preparing the fire, making the tea, serving it -- even the roles of the guests -- follow strictly established rules learned as waza. The Tea Ceremony goes much deeper than just making and serving tea, although that is its outward face; but it is also a form of cultural art, and even a moving meditation.

I wouldn't say it is common to do a true Tea Ceremony before a dinner party, but rather a meal -- called Kaiseki -- is served as part of a full ceremony. (In a short ceremony, either a thick tea service or a thin tea service, usually just a small serving of sweets is served. In a full ceremony, with both thick and thin tea, a meal would be appropriate becasue it's a longer and more envolved event.)

For more information on the Tea Ceremony, a Web search for the keywords "Tea Ceremony," "Chado," and "Cha-no-yu" will lead to a wealth of information. I can also recommend the book The Tea Ceremony by Sen'o Tanaka and Sendo Tanaka as a good English language book with lots of nice photographs. Keep in mind that there are several "schools" of tea ceremony, kind of like different styles of karate or kenjutsu; they have common elements, but they also have subtle differences. The two largest styles of Chado are the Urasenke Ryu and the Omotesenke Ryu.

For a sample, here is a link to the Seattle Urasenke Branch's
Web site: Urasenke Seattle (http://www.urasenkeseattle.org/page22)

As for a dinner party, if your guests are going to be mostly Americans then there is no reason to slavishly follow Japanese customs. Your guests might be more comfortable with a "Japanese Style" meal that followed the American order of courses, including a salad course and a dessert course (not really Japanese things), rather than a true Japanese meal.

You could serve from a selection of Japanese foods that appeal to you, use Japanese-style serving pieces, play some Japanese music softly in the background, etc. A visit to any large bookstore's cooking section should provide at least a few cookbooks on Japanese foods that are readily prepared and enjoyed by most Americans. I don't know the author or publisher, but I gave one as a gift once that was called Japanese Homestyle Cooking or something like that; it looked pretty good.

As a final thought, if there is a nice Japanese restaurant near you (not a take-out teriyaki place or anything like that) you could go there with a few friends and order from their combinations section, then use what was served as a guide for your own party.

HTH.

[Brian Owens]

Originally posted by Brian Owens
The Tea Ceremony, called Chado or Cha-no-yu in Japanese, is an art form that requires a lot of study and practice under a sensei, much like martial arts do. Each step in seting up for your guests, preparing the fire, making the tea, serving it -- even the roles of the guests -- follow strictly established rules learned as waza.

I thought it might be interesting to see an example of what I said above. Here is a list of the steps a guest follows, taken from this Web site: Cha-no-yu (http://www.kato3.org/chanoyu/frame.html)


Entering the tearoom

Sit down in front of fusuma (sliding door).
Place your sensu (folding fan) in front of you.
Open the fusuma.
Place your hands on the tatami (tatami mat).
Look into the tearoom.
Move the sensu forward.
Edge, while seated, into the tearoom.


Viewing utensils in the tearoom

Take the sensu with your right hand.
Stand from your right foot.
Walk to the tokonoma (alcove), and sit down.
Place the sensu in front of you.
Make a formal bow.
View the scroll, and then the flowers and the flower container.
Again, make a formal bow.
Stand from your left foot.
Crossing the kayoi-datami and then the ro-datami, walk to the dogu-tatami. (Walk on specific tatami.)
Cross the tatami edging with your right (left) foot.
Be careful not to step on the tatami edging.
Sit in front of the kama (kettle).


Taking the sweet (the case of using a kashiki, or a container for sweets)

The host asks you to take the sweet. "Please take the sweet."
Respond to the host's request and make a bow. "I will partake of the sweet."
Make a bow to the next guest. "Excuse me for going before you."
Take the the kashiki (container for sweets) with your both hands.
Raise the kashiki slightly to express thanks.
Put the kashiki back down.
Place your kaishi (packet of paper) in front of you.
Place the folded edge towards you.
With your right hand, first take the far dry sweet.
Place it on the kaishi.
Next, take the near dry sweet.
Pass the kashibachi to the next guest.
Partake of them.


Drinking usucha, or thin tea (the case of the second guest)

The host puts out the tea.
Stand from your right foot.
Cross the tatami edging with the right foot.
Sit down, and take the chawan (teabowl).
Stand from your left foot.
Turn, and cross the tatami edging with your left foot.
Return to your seat and sit down.
Place the chawan between you and the main guest inside the tatami edging.
Bow and say, "I will join you."
Place the chawan between you and the next guest.
Bow and say "Excuse me for going before you."
Place the chawan in front of you inside the tatami edging.
Bow and say, "Thank you for the tea" to the host.
Take the chawan with your right hand.
Place the chawan on your left palm.
Steady the chawan with your right hand.
Bow your head slightly to express thanks.
Turn the chawan clockwise twice in order to avoid its front.
Drink the tea to the last tip.
Wipe the place where you drank from with your right thumb and index finger.
Wipe your fingers on your kaishi.
Turn the chawan back so that the front faces you.
Place the chawan in front of you outside the tatami edging.


Viewing the chawan.

Place your palms on the tatami.
Take a closer view of the chawan.
Pick it up with both your hands.
Rest your elbows on your knees. (not to pick the chawan up high)
Take a closer view of the chawan again.


Returning the chawan (when there is a host's assistant)

Turn the front toward the host's assistant.
The host's assistant comes to take the chawan.
You both bow.

As you can see, it's a pretty involved process, and that's just for the guest. Imagine what it's like for the host!

[Tri-ring]

Konbanwa Brian-san,

Sado prefected by Sen no Rikyu in the mid 16th century when it was normal to kill or be killed.
Chashitsu, the place where the ceremony takes place, was originally used to entertain delegates before/after nagotiation for peace and/or alliance with another clan, meaning you are in midst of potential enemy. It was mutual understanding by both parties that a "wrong move" may trigger war with each other, it was also common knowledge that betrayal is bigger than life possibility. As a sign of truth, all moves within the ceremony is choreographed so not to give a wrong sign to the other side.
The nijiriguchi or the narrow entrance was designed so that no more than one can enter at once, you also need to crouch in, this was all to ensure that you can protect yourself from an ambush from the outside.
You also need to remove your katana from you hip and place it in front of you in order to enter through the nijiriguchi. So that the one entering after you will be ensured that he will not be ambushed by the one who entered first. Now a days the katana is replaced with a fan.
Inside the chashitsu, you will find yourself in a cramped room with a low ceiling, this again prevents you from pulling out the katana within the room.
Looking around the room not looking conspicuous not stepping the edge of the tatami and so on were all moves to ensure that there were no signs of foul play such as blow darts, hidden posion needles and so on.
Even drinking from the same chawan is to ensure you that the drink is not laced with poison. Turning the chawan three times is also added self protection so that the nobody does not now which part of the chawan rim you will be drinking from.
As you can see, Sado is a mixture of grace, protocol, and respect but all the moves are rooted to a more bloody origin.
Hopes it helps.

K.Miwa

[Brian Owens]

Originally posted by Tri-ring
Sado prefected by Sen no Rikyu in the mid 16th century when it was normal to kill or be killed. Chashitsu, the place where the ceremony takes place, was originally used to entertain delegates before/after nagotiation for peace and/or alliance with another clan, meaning you are in midst of potential enemy....The nijiriguchi or the narrow entrance was designed so that no more than one can enter at once, you also need to crouch in, this was all to ensure that you can protect yourself from an ambush from the outside.

Unless I am mistaken, entertaining delegates and conducting negotiations would have been more likely accompanied with a Shoin-style Tea, rather than a Wabi-style. A Shoin ceremony is done in a larger room, and I was taught that the crouching entrance is not used. And the tea at these ceremonies was served by servants called doboshu, not by the host himself.

I was taught that the small entrance of a Wabi-style Chashitsu was to impart a sense of humility in all who entered, as befitting a ceremony that evolved from the Buddhist cha-e ceremony.

However, as a Budoka, I do like your explaination of the origins. I suspect that the true origins are a mixture of the two.

[Tri-ring]

Konbanwa Brian-san,

With your deep understanding of Japan and her culture I am sure you have heard of words like "Honne( –{‰¹ )" and "Tatema ( Œš‘O )" and/or "Omote( •\ )" and "Ura ( —_ )" they are both true but also both wrong without the other side. The truth behind the truth is not "mixture of the two" but to understand both and explain it as seem fit.
As a boduka you may have also heard of a proverb, "Jozen Senjo ( ?í‘O?í?ê )" meaning "Always be ready stepping into a potential battle field". This teaches you that you must always be ready. Sado teaches you grace and alertness within each move. The moves are choreographed by removing un-necessary moves not adding them.
Hope it helps.

K.Miwa

[Brian Owens]

Originally posted by Tri-ring
Konbanwa Brian-san,

With your deep understanding of Japan and her culture...

LOL! That's pretty funny. Obviously my knowledge of Japan and its culture is neither deep nor wide; just bits and pieces here and there.

On the other hand, my half-century of existence has taught me to recognize when I'm being baited, and in this case I choose not to bite.

[MartArtsNovice]

Man, after reading the posts, you both have written, my head hurts. I really feel like a goldfish in a ocean, of information. The reason I originally started this thread, was that someone had suggested that the members of the japan club, I attend, perform the tea ceremony. I alos started this , because I want to host a tradtional dinner, in mostly Japanese company. I am so happy, I get to attend my first Matsuri, in late Feburary. My J-club is planning to hold a min-Matsuri at my school for the other students. Since I have your attention, what does a regular Matsuri usually entail, I am volunteering at the one near me, I hope they are a load of fun. My sensei says they are, but I dont know what to expect.


P.S.
Thank you, Brian for your helpful insight, in my search for a better understanding of Japanese cutlreu and its people.

‚Ç‚¤‚à—L“ Tri Ring-san, your posts have shown me a better picture of Japanese society. I am glad to know people are out on the forum, who are kind enough to answer questions.