As the cultural capital of Japan, Kyoto has a lot to offer by way of sights and experiences. There are beautiful parks, museums, restaurants and numerous temples (usually Buddhist) and shrines (usually Shinto) to visit. Regardless of your personal beliefs, the temples are a feast for your senses: the colors are vibrant and you can read about when the temple or shrine was founded (they are hundreds of years old!). You cannot miss the scent of burning incense. You cannot escape the sounds of the wind blowing the chimes or the bells ringing. And you cannot help but be in wonder of the nature and beauty of these tranquil and peaceful buildings.
Another very important part of Kyoto and Japanese culture is the tea ceremony. Tea ceremonies represent history and culture, and are used in formal and informal events. In addition to performing the rituals of preparing, purifying and serving the tea, which is usually green tea or Matcha, the host of the ceremony will offer food and sake to their guests. These dishes (kaiseki) can range from a few small courses to a larger feast that can last up to 3 hours. The sake that is served should compliment each dish nicely. The sake we are going to talk about today was made specifically for the Japanese tea ceremony school, Omotosenke that has direct ties to the OG Godfather of Japanese tea culture, Master Rikyu.
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Originally posted on Sake Social on January 25, 2021
Food With a Wink 