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Food Tradition

Kaiseki

Social and Ceremonial Dining Customs

Kaiseki, or kaiseki-ryori, is a traditional multi-course Japanese dinner regarded as the Japanese counterpart to Western haute cuisine, and the term also covers the collection of skills and techniques needed to prepare such a meal. Two distinct traditions share the name: one is a set menu of selected dishes served on an individual tray to each guest at a gathering, and the other, also called cha-kaiseki, is the simple meal a host serves before the ceremonial tea at a chanoyu gathering. The emphasis on seasonality and precise technique found in kaiseki is thought to have influenced the later development of French nouvelle cuisine.

Facts
Origin Period, From (Year)Sourced to the subject's own account
from 1550 1
Origin RegionSourced to the subject's own account
Japan, particularly associated with Kyoto and the tradition of chanoyu, the Japanese tea ceremony. 1
Connections

Associated With

Tea Ceremony, Food Traditions

Cha-kaiseki is the simple meal served before the ceremonial tea at a chanoyu tea ceremony gathering.

Sources
1. Kaiseki (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia
  • Kaiseki locations section
    Kyoto is well known for its kaiseki, as it was the home of the imperial court and nobility for over a millennium.
  • Origin section, first paragraph
    These kanji are thought to have been incorporated by Sen no Rikyū (1522-1591) to indicate the frugal meal served in the austere style of chanoyu (Japanese tea ceremony).
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