Japan’s Xmas romance, wagashi tea sweets, and a tea master interview

The art of wagashi tea sweets.

Did you know that Japanese Christmas is more like Valentine's Day? Fact is that few Japanese families exchange gifts at Xmas or at any other time of year. Gift giving is a ritualized part of Japanese society.

For example, as a new neighbor in a new neighborhood or cho it is still important to give your nearest neighbors (about 10-12 houses or 4-5 apartments in a block on your floor) either straight noodles or soap or washing machine detergent. Why? To symbolically say: "As a new neighbor I would like our relationship as neighbors to be long (the long uncooked noodles) or to be clean.

So Christmas, like Valentine's Day, is all about romance if anything at all. And Japan is the fastest shrinking society on earth. The city governments of Japan and the national government have been sponsoring dating events since about 2008 or so. The aim being to stimulate the birthrate with the young or the fertile. Last year, Japan's fertility rate reached 1.20, another record low, and way below the 2.1 necessary population stability over the long term.

Unfortunately, 35% of Japanese men between 18 and 30, according to a BBC study, have nearly no interest in getting to know real women. Too much effort for something that scares them more than anything. They prefer digital entertainment of all kinds.

So Xmas or Valentine's Day in Japan is very much a big commercial affair. And everyone is buying chocolate, the color red, reindeer accessories, and shopping in general. The select minority that is dating or flirting use the inherent romance of Christmas for great moments. And why not?

And Xmas dates can range from strolling through a giant winter illumination event or staying in a 5-star hotel that is Christmas themed and has killer night views.

And where you see one couple you see many couples in Japan. They literally congregate! But they almost never hold hands. I should know, I used to stop when I saw a couple holding hands in Kyoto and ask them a few questions. Almost 95% were from China or South Korea. Yes, tourists! And seeing a couple kissing in Japan is a rare treat, believe me.

So, the Japanese do celebrate Xmas on a lavish commercial scale but without any of the traditional traditions. Essentially, not really about family. More about romance, fantasy and exotic worlds in winter. And this is what makes travel so interesting: how one culture interprets other cultures. Japan's has absorbed so much from the west but some of it is almost unrecognizable.

And remember that nearly 100% of Japan follows the Shinto religion for sure and the Buddhist ways as well. Japanese Christians were put to death at the end of the 16th century all over Japan and also during the Edo Period to a considerable extent. Foreign religions transmit foreign ideas and that can be dangerous to the powers that be.

The rest of this post covers:

Wagashi tea sweet artistic wonders!
Urasenke tea master Gary Cadwallader interview

Content by Japan travel specialist & designer Ian Martin Ropke, founder & owner of Your Japan Private Tours (YJPT, est. 1990). I have been planning, designing, and making custom Japan private tours on all five Japanese islands since the early 1990s. I work closely with all of YJPT's Japan private tour clients and have a great team behind me. I promote YJPT through this content and only advertise at www.japan-guide.com, which has the best all-Japan English content & maps! If you are going to Japan and you understand the advantages of private travel, consider my services for your next trip to save time & have a better time. Ian Martin Ropke (unique on Google Search) is also a serious nonfiction and fiction writer, a startup founder (NexussPlus.com), and a spiritual wood sculptor. Learn more!

The art of wagashi traditional tea ceremony sweets

The history of wagashi, fine Japanese sweets, is inseparable from the history of white sugar, which first appeared in Japan in 1603 as a valued import from the West. For Japan, a country with a long-established sweets tradition but which had only ever known brown sugar, white sugar was a revolutionary product . It became so much in demand that from the 18 century onwards domestic refined sugar production was established with the strong support of the 8th Tokugawa shogun. From the beginning, trade in products using white sugar became the official monopoly of shops designated with the special term jogashi . Jogashi confectioneries are classified into three broad groups ﾑ Cha-gashi (tea ceremony sweets), Kusenga (sweets temple and shrine offerings), and Kenjoga (sweets specially reserved for the Imperial family). The status of jogashi shops was so high that they had total creative control over their products, as well as the established right to never have to enter a house through the back door when receiving or delivering an order. At the height of the Edo period, there were over 240 Jogashi shops in Kyoto. Today, only 40, with a history of more than 100 years, remain. Despite the strong influence of Western sweets, Kyoto wagashi continue to preserve the sophisticated image and quality for which Kyoto is legendary.

Kanshun-do: Originality since the 16th century: Though Kanshun-do was formally established as company in 1865, the Fujiya family has been renowned as an fine maker of Japanese sweets since the late 16th century. Their original wagashi style was created by the second-generation head of the family, Fujiya Tokube and the third head, Fujiya Kinjiro, and Fujiya Seihichi, the founder of Kanshun-do. Many of the shop's recipes are closely guarded secrets, and some are so old in origin that few other shops can make them. Since the beginning, Kanshun-do has maintained strong connections with temples and shrines in Kyoto, providing them with a selection of seasonally created sweets. Today, with the ever-growing popularity of the Japanese tea ceremony abroad, Kanshun-do is actively developing new styles of wagashi for the international market. Their internationally oriented products maintain the old-time traditions of wagashi while taking into account the particular preferences of foreigners. Kanshun-do's creations combine seasonal nuances with color, shape, and exquisite taste. Because at Kanshun-do, wagashi is considered to be an art. Their seasonal flower petal motif mochi (ｴ1,600 for 5 pieces), dry sweets symbolizing each of the four seasons(ｴ700), and Soba Mochi (sweet beans in a soft buckwheat dough) (ｴ600 for 5 pieces). Located Shomen Street near the Toyokuni shrine (see opposite page) Shomen-kado, Kawabata, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto Tel: 561-4019.

Oimatsu: Elegant sweets for all occasions: Oimatsu's historical background in Kyoto, particularly in the Arashiyama area, where Kukai, the great founder and saint of Shingo Buddhism first introduced Chinese sweets to Japan, is legendary. The Oimatsu Arashiyama shop has preserved a quiet atmosphere of historical ambience in its subtle, sophisticated style, and serves a variety of sweets with the finest varieties of Japanese tea in its tea salon. Oimatsu's Kitano shop, established in the Muromachi Period next to Kitano Shrine, an area that was once one of Kyoto's leading geisha entertainment districts, features an open-air tea salon in the grounds of Kitano Shrine (see pg 3) which is open throughout the year. Recommended treats are their walnut or kumquat lightly sugar-coated cookies (ｴ160 each), and their rich the plum jam (ｴ600 each) cookies. Located in Kamihichiken, Kitano, Kyoto Tel: 463-3050.

Kagizen Yoshifusa: For a sweet treat in Ming period decor: Established in 18th century, Kagizen Yoshifusa is a member of Kasho-kai (Kyogashi association), whose 46 members comprise many of Japan's most historical and traditional wagashi shops. They have two shops in centrally located Higashiyama-ku: one on Shijo Street in the Gion area, and the other near Kodai-ji Temple. Kagizen Yoshifusa is especially famous for its kuzukiri (arrowroot noodles served with sweet sauce). The second floor of the main shop's tastefully designed old villa, decorated with antique furniture from China and priceless ceramic ware, makes for the perfect place to savour the taste of their creations. Kagizen Yoshifusa also serves seasonally created fine tea sweets. Open 9 am-6 pm (till 7 pm on Sat, Sun, and national holidays). Closed on Mon.(Main Shop) and Wed.(Kodaiji Shop) 264 Kitagawa, Gion-cho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto Tel:(075)561-1818.

Oharameya: For imaginatively created fine sweets: The founder of this highly respected business,, Kishimoto Fujiyoshi, opened the shop in Teramachi in 1897. One of the most popular sweets in Oharame, is known as kamaburo was created in 1925, and the business has long been known in the world of Kyoto sweets for its creativity and imagination. Most of their sweets are named after historical Kyoto places, and seasonal or visual themes. For example, Midori Goke (green moss) symbolizes the nuance of a Zen temple garden with tiny squares of azuki bean cake to which a touch of green nori seaweed has been added. They also have a wide selection of gift sets consisting of a variety of different types of wagashi. Although Oharameya has a number of outlets throughout Kyoto and Japan, their centrally located restaurant on Shijo Street, where you can also enjoy a light meal in addition to tea and sweets, is highly recommended. Open 9:30 am-9 pm; restaurant 12 pm-7:30 pm; tea salon 11:30 am-7:30 pm Closed every third Tuesday of the month. Located on Shijo in the Gion district, between Hanamikoji and Yamatooji. Tel: 561-1905.

Interview with Urasenke tea master Gary Soka Cadwallader

This interview with Urasenke tea master Gary Soka Cadwallader took place in Kyoto in April 2004.

YJPT: Could you tell me a little bit about yourself and how you came to be involved with Tea?

GC: I was born and raised in Texas. In university I studied ancient history and anthropology. I was always interested in things not Western, and so I went on to pursue a Master’s in Chinese and Japanese language and literature. In 1975, I came to Japan on a Mombusho scholarship to study art history at Osaka University for one and a half years. After that I started to take Tea lessons privately, and two years later I joined the Midorikai program. I went through the three-year program at Midorikai and did two more years of study at the Gakuen, the Japanese part of the Urasenke school. After that I was asked to join Urasenke’s International Division to teach the Midorikai. And that's what I have been doing for the last 10 or 11 years.

YJPT: What is the Midorikai? How many students are there in the school? How many teachers?

GC: The Midorikai was set up in 1976 by the Iemoto [the 15th generation head of the Urasenke lineage] to teach Tea to non-Japanese people. And so far I would say about 400 students have passed through the program. We have about 15 or 20 students per semester. The students study 5 days a week, and in general about 8 hours a day. It's a very big commitment and very intense. As far as teachers go, we have two kinds: part time lecturers, and full-time teachers. We have about 20 lecturers and nearly 10 full-time teachers, both Japanese and non-Japanese.

YJPT: What do you find that most Westerners lack upon first embarking on the study of Tea that they learn to appreciate and do during their practice?

GC: Focused precision in Tea is one thing that most foreigners don't have until they get fully involved in all the intricate details. Some people like details and that attracts them to Tea, because everything must be exactly perfect, at the right angle, everything just right. The efficiency, that no movement is wasted, is the Zen part of Tea put into practice. Tea is a discipline through which you can explore and polish your own self. And at the same time you are giving yourself to the guests. The whole philosophy of Tea is to do everything possible for the guests. This includes a lot of cleaning and preparation, cooking, and finding nice utensils for sharing with the guests. Students have a lot of enthusiasm for the heart of Tea, but simply reading about it is not enough. It must be put into practice, and they are not used to that. Actually doing the Tea, and putting yourself fully into the practice so as to give your guests the very best you can, is something that students learn to love and value as their study progresses. It is also difficult for students, initially, to avoid doing certain things in the Tea room. For example, you never show any negative feelings, and you always try to control and discipline yourself in a Zen-like way that creates harmony. I won’t even mention sitting in the seiza position for hours.

YJPT: How would you say the study of Tea influences or affects the way one lives in the rhythms of daily life?

GC: It makes you careful, it makes you sensitive to and aware in a very subtle way of the things around you. It teaches you to be attentive to detail, patient, efficient, calm, and to keep your eyes open. It's like Zen without the Zen monastery lifestyle. Seasonal concerns make you more sensitive to Nature as well.

YJPT: Tea strikes me as being a rather exotic and elaborate ritual that is perfectly suited to Japan, but not to other cultures. Would you agree?

GC: Tea is not exotic at all. It simply consists of giving people something to eat and something to drink, and something to look at and talk about. You serve the very best food, Japanese kaiseki, and sake so everybody gets quite happy. And contrary to what many think Tea to be, you actually get quite a lot of food. During the Tea you never talk about the news, how much something costs, your family, warfare, religion, or anything that could be divisive or mar the harmony of the mood. All talk is devoted to the things the host has provided. The scroll, the flowers, the food, the utensils, things like that. Often the conversation during a Tea will be connected to something seasonal, for example plum blossoms in February, are connected with Sugawara no Michizane. And in this way Tea conversations often refer to the past. Taking the old and creating something new, is very much a part of the Tea way. So, Tea is not a living fossil. It's not simply a repetition of certain rules and movements. That is why this ritual continues to have meaning for people in their daily life cycles. It is special. It is eating, drinking, and looking raised to a higher level, out of this world into the world of the Tea room. And from this space you return to daily life more relaxed and ready to relate again to people and work and so forth. Stress relief is an essential element of Tea, and this is also one of the big reasons it has stayed alive and vital for so long.

YJPT: Do you drink Japanese tea on a regular basis? And do you think that tea is good for you from a heath perspective?

GC: Yes I do drink it a lot, except for my coffee at breakfast. But otherwise throughout the day I'm drinking green tea, and yes I do find it to be beneficial to my health. The Tea people that I know, the older Tea women especially, are very healthy, very strong, and remain highly active into their 80s and 90s. I find most Tea people to be very healthy and very active, mentally as well. Tea is not a contemplative thing; there are always other people involved in putting Tea into action.

YJPT: Do you think the Way of Tea will continue to grow in Japan or is it threatened by modern, superficial influences?

GC: I will answer you with a 300-year-old quote that is attributed to Sen no Rikyu: "I have no doubt that within ten years, the fundamental way of tea will die out. . . Be that as it may, people with a true realization will come forth in later ages, and they will surely sense and share my aspirations . . ."

Wagashi tea sweet artistic wonders!
Urasenke tea master Gary Cadwallader interview