Japanese sweets that are essential for tea ceremony. Above all, raw sweets incorporating Japan's seasons and nature are pretty, cute and delicious! Gives a color to the daily potion. However, Japanese sweets and raw sweets seem to be a bit frustrating. there! I and Mako, a raw sweets beginner, taught the way to pick the first raw sweets to Mr. Shuntaro Kondo, a teamaker. Well, how is the end of it?
Tell me, Mr. Kondo! In fact, I have never bought raw sweets
"It's hard to get raw sweets" "Why don't you go into a sweet shop, but you can't talk to people in the shop?" Do you think of the image of “high-class sweets” placed on top of the tea ceremony in tea ceremony? I do not know what kind of raw cake there are? Since I first turned on the tea the other day, I and Mako have started to wake up to the path of the tea ceremony, but in fact I have never bought raw sweets at a Japanese sweet shop!
For tea novice beginners who do not know the right or left, it is courageous to go to buy fresh confections alone .... So I asked Shuntaro Kondo, a teamaker who is calling myself (in his own way) as a teacher, "Tell me how to choose raw sweets!"
Chato, Shuntaro Kondo The owner of "Avant-garde Tea Party" aims to create a place where you can feel at ease and enjoy the tea bath.
Mr. Kondo, who is involved in the IT business, has launched a "Tea Corporation Avant Garde Tea Party", a place where activities can be performed without hesitation. Produced planned exhibitions at casual tea parties, department stores, galleries, etc. in order to wipe out the hard and stiff images of Chanoyu. It is one of the hottest tears now! Mr. Kondo is a godlike person for Tomako, a beginner of tea ceremony!
"If you choose raw confectionery, let's go to Toraya first," says Kondo. It seems that anything is used as sweets for lessons. Wait, please! ! How Amateur I Suddenly At That Place?
Eh, I'm surprised! Do you go to that suddenly?
"Tyoraya to say, sheep and sheep, and to say yara" is a masterpiece that comes to the image!
Toraya is Japan's first Japanese-style confectionery shop, founded in Kyoto in the late Muromachi period, and serving in Gosho. In a long history of about 500 years, including the palace, Tokugawa Shogun, Ito Hirofumi, politicians such as Itoh Shigenobu, and beneficiaries have been loved by many celebrities. It is said that he ordered Japanese sweets of that genius artist Ogata Kotomoto Morayaya who played an active part during the Edo period! A Japanese confectioner, who has always planned to interact with the main characters of the era. We have secured the status of a well-established store even now because we have continued to support Japanese sweets and Japanese culture.
For a long time, I decided to immediately report on Mr. Kondo's voice, making it a fixed position as the top brand of Japanese confectionery. It is the "Toraya Akasaka Store" that I have visited. This store was temporarily closed for rebuilding from 2015, but reopened in October 2018. (New shop report later!)
The Akasaka Store does not have a showcase and is designed to make it easy to get the product.
You need a big goodwill for beautiful architecture with lots of wood, and you need courage to enter this new store if you are not alone. For me, a confectionery shop is just going to buy some confectionery to give to someone. How advanced is it to search for daily companions? Moreover, since the raw sweets had a selfish image of "don't eat the people who can't turn the tea!"
Mr. Shinohara, a store clerk at Akasaka, smiled at me when I sat down. Seems to be kind!
Well, does it start already? Kondo-san and Kuwahara-san's outbreak of Japanese-style sweets talk
Mr. Hagihara who usually receives the practice of tea ceremony. He said, "I would like everyone to feel familiar with raw confectionery in today's interview, and it would be nice if I could get it by hand. This time, in an interview between Mr. Kondo and Mr. Kuwahara, I have asked a lot of questions as a beginner's representative to find out the point of raw cake selection! And if you are enthusiasm ..., you may not have started the Japanese sweets discussion immediately!
Mr. Sugahara (left) and Mr. Kondo (right) who will start the Japanese sweets discussion right away
Kondo-san: “I really like Yoroko's children because I've been eating Yeast since I was 1 year old ... I wasn't conscious, but I'm going to eat extra sweets left over in practice When I asked the children, "What do you want to eat?"
Mr. Kuwahara "Yes, I'm glad!"
Kondo-san "I used to buy a piece of york in Toraya and cut it thin and eat it. Or I will give you a small piece of yolk-tree, but if you eat" good ", but it's close, When I bought a lamb skewer with 100 grade, I said, “Traya is better.” The child's tongue is completely fertilized by the silkworm (lol).
Mr. Kuwahara "Thank you so much!"
Raw sweets lined up in the shop. At the center of the picture is "Daitoku-ji, crimson".
Mr. Kondo "I thought that the children were obedient and the taste was understandable. Now that they are out of business, there is a Japanese-style confectionery shop near the house, and they often buy a bun (joyo manju) there I used to rub raw mackerel and steamed it on the day I ordered it, it seemed that the child liked it very much. I really don't need it ... I really realized that it's good to eat something delicious from a young age, as children are sensitive to taste. Children don't have the chance to eat Japanese sweets, so they don't have Japanese sweets tongue, so they choose only cakes, although the cake is not bad, but not choosing Japanese sweets is because there is no acceptable tongue . of From it a waste. So even small children, making the opportunity to eat as much as possible delicious sweets, I'd say I want to create a tongue of sweets "
Immediately I heard that there was no tongue of Japanese confectionery ... I heard that Dokki. Isn't that just me eating just cake? Mr. Sakakibara-san says in a nutshell saying " I would be glad if you could eat raw cake like cake " by saying "I would like to see inside my heart."
We want to eat raw cake like cake
Japanese confectionery is made by reflecting the change of the season, but it is “raw confectionery” that you can feel the feeling of the season unique to Japan. Even so, it's surprising how suddenly "raw cakes are like cakes"! Can I say such a thing ....
All of the seasonal sweets are colorful and cute!
Mr. Kuwahara "This is a raw pastry with an image that comes out together in the tea room, but of course it's okay to eat it as a regular sweet. I will have a raw pastry, but I do not always have matcha green tea, and coffee It may be combined with
"I think it's hard to buy just one piece of confectionery, but it's okay to buy just one to enjoy yourself like a cake. I'm rather happy. Pick one and buy If you ask me, this person is going to like this, "says Mr. Sakakibara, who is full of Japanese sweets love.
Mr. Kondo "And, you will feel like a luxury, because you can buy one and put it in a beautiful box."
It seems that the two people recommend that you buy " raw cake cake " better than you think. Simple I felt like going to buy now! Furthermore, Mr. Hagihara who recommends Japanese sweets to women. It is mainly made of botanical materials, so there is little guilt to eat. It depends on things, but it's about 150 kcal, so if you eat two, it's around 300 kcal. "I would eat three or four but I do," said Mr. Kuwahara. I am a clerk of the day.
"In Toraya, the type of raw confectionery that is put out to the store changes once every two weeks, and each Japanese confectionery has a confectionery mark , and how did you think this confection was made? "Everything is being done," says Mr. Sugawara.
It is also a traditional Japanese culture that the sweets change every two weeks according to the season and the flow of nature. You've come to understand the raw sweets! When I started looking at the commentary handed to Mr. Kuwahara, what did he look at? Yokansei Oguraaniri ...? Mr. Kuwahara What is this?
Mr. Kuwahara "The types of raw confectionery are divided by the manufacturing method. But if you are told that you are the first person to enter Yotsuya-made Ogura rice bowl, you don't know what to say (laughs). I think so. "
So how should I choose a super beginner who does not know the taste, the preparation method and the taste? Kondo teacher, please teach me how to select recommended raw sweets that I can do too! !
Raw sweets are by far the best! Shuntaro Kondo
Kondo-san "In the case of me, I'm completely buying a jacket . I choose how to choose with sensitivity, and try to eat," Hmm, this is different "or" Ooh! "Or how to enjoy the difference between images and taste." .
eh! Is it good to choose by just looking like that? Mr. Kondo is as light as ever! is. Well, I see. It is “Gyoko” (Gyoko) that Mr. Kondo, who bought such raw cakes, bought this day.
The outer white Carmela shows a cloud, and the image is like light coming from the gap. This is the motif of "light", the theme of the 2019 Miyanaka Kakai.
Actually, every year in New York, new year's sweets are born as a new work, following the theme of the zodiac and the beginning of the Miyanaka Kakai. Anyone can apply if it is an employee, but "暁 光" is a new work selected in the company open recruitment! After being sold once, the selected raw confectionery is said to line up at the store at another time, and may also be exposed to the sun. Even so, it's amazing that some of our employees have designed it! I wonder what the taste of the raw pastry is.
Mr. Kuwahara "I like very sweet things ... (lol). If I also in this" 暁 暁 light "! Here, can you imagine what kind of taste?
Mr. Kondohara is different from Mr. Kondo, and Mr. Kuwahara who chooses sweet things anyway. This seems to be a crispy texture outside, even with a white glaze engulfed in a specific type of fertilizer. It looks kind, but it is hard to eat little by little ... There is something hidden inside, not inside (laughs)
Mr. Kondo "I'm mainly buying a jacket, but of course I also chose to hear the taste. The open atmosphere of the Akasaka shop is easy for the clerk to hear. The atmosphere of the shop near the work place. (Laughs) The shop is in the back of the counter and it's good to talk to it. And because there is a showcase in front of it, "How are you ... far away" (laughs) ) But I have no choice but to give up my courage (laughs)
Eh! Even Mr. Kondo, such an experience is! After all you may get nervous depending on the shop environment when you buy raw confectionery.
Sakakibara: "We also want to talk to our customers. I think the Akasaka shop is a very easy-to-talk environment, so it would be great if you could listen to anything!"
During the interview, Mr. Kuwahara, who always said "Please ask me anything." "The Akasaka Store is a space where you can shop leisurely without showcases, so it is recommended for beginners."
Then, is there something that should be eaten first in the raw sweets? I have not found my favorite sweets yet!
Mr. Sugahara "I think it would be nice if you could have something you like at first. If you like me, I would like sweet things, so I would like sweet things (laughs). If you can tell just by yourself, even if you haven't eaten too much, I think that you have a taste of sweet potato, so if you can just say it, I think you can recommend it like "This is a sticky candy." "
Japanese confectionery seems to differ in the name, mouthfeel, taste, etc. of the manufacturing method depending on the shop and the area. By the way, it seems that Toraya's Japanese confectionery is characterized as "a little sweet, a little hard, and a good aftertaste ". It's a bit sweeter, so you may find it sweeter than others, but it has a good aftertaste and is said to be left alone. Toraya's typical sheepskin is "a little sweet, a little hard and a good aftertaste".
Kondo-san "Toraya is a comprehensive Japanese-style confectionery shop, so all sweets are delicious, but all is so delicious that you can't really find it. I think it would be very interesting if you could find your favorite shops depending on the type of Japanese sweets. "
Sakakibara: "Omanju is so simple that it's easy to get individuality, and the taste of salmon is different. If you enjoy various kinds of sweets, you will find the difference in taste and I think it will expand the way you enjoy. "
In addition, "A little bit of rewards for the day. After that, when you think that you like sweets after all on the day you buy cake! Find your favorite sweets at a candy shop in your local town etc. It is also recommended that you get it, "says Mr. Kasahara. Hum. Kondo-san buys a jacket, Sugawara-san is a sweet thing that you like anyway! Both of you enjoy your own choice of raw confections! As I have no eyes on new works and limited ones, I think I will try to select them first!
Let's eat it first with the plate and fork
At home, Mr. Sugahara says that he puts it on his favorite plate and eats it with a fork. This is a cake already. Does this mean that no rules are needed for eating raw sweets? After all it would be better if there were Kaiseki and black letters? I think.
Kondo-san "If it 's a kaiseki , an accident will happen. Because I don't know how to use it, I will drop out fresh confections. The reason is also how to use a kaiseki, although I should use Kaiseki as a bundle instead of a stand. , Because it will be used in the state of one piece of plumage "
Certainly this has also been done by me. I remembered that I was careful if I put sweets on a sheet of paper in the editorial department (laughs).
Mr. Kondo "It is better to put the raw sweets on cedar board or plate in the first place. When it's a tea seat, it's a thick sheet and there is a sense of stability, so use it with one sheet. It's a trauma, but the way you put out the raw confections is really that the lord must take care, so you don't have to worry about it too much. "
Speaking of which, there are things that are difficult to cut. For example, “暁 光” is perfect for identifying fertilizers, so it is likely to be difficult to cut if it is a black letter. What if all these things ....
Mr. Kondo " Please wear your head ( instant answer)"
But, there are times when it comes out with black letters and you can only use it! !
Mr. Kuwahara: "If you try to cut it small, it may be difficult to cut it, so I think it would be nice to cut it in half, and enjoy it while hiding your mouth."
Mr. Kondo, "The most important thing is engraving. If you try to engrave the cake and eat it for a while, it will be broken, so I think it would be better to split it into two or three. Because it will
That was the reason why we ate irresistibly when it was fortunate. Of course, I think people who want to eat a little bit more elegantly, but I think it is good to have four equal. Because I had to eat it with tea, I was eating it, but I was relieved because I thought that I really wanted to go out with only 2 pieces.
Mr. KONDO "Please put on the manju, you may be angry if you tell the teacher of tea (laughs). The most important thing is to eat deliciously . Of course, there is a certain amount of recipe, but it is a major premise to have it eaten deliciously, because there is no recipe for eating cake in the first place, so raw sweets are good for the first time.
"It is best to eat deliciously!" ! Thank you very much, Mr. Kondo (tears).
The left is "June's moon" commercialized when the title is "Moon", and the right is a wharf "Sagigata" with grated skin of dumplings
So, are you not particularly careful? I was eating at a moment so as not to finish eating sweets until the tea runs out ....
Mr. Kondo "It's not a tea ceremony, but when I'm going out for a cup of tea, I think the order in which I can have sweets and tea is fine. If you have a cup of tea, you can enjoy it deliciously. ”Then, I think that it is not necessary to overdo it because there are various conveniences if it is necessary to eat up before drinking a cup of tea. As a rule, it is decided to have tea after eating sweets after having eaten sweets, and it has decided to walk alone so that it is better to have sweets before tea, in fact for a solid reason. But ... it's another article (laughs) "
It is an avant-garde tea party. It is likely to be the content that will make the next article also expected!
And lastly, I was taught how to eat raw sweets deliciously.
Mr. Sugahara "If you share raw confections at, for example, a women's association, you can enjoy various types. For example, if you have four or five people, you can prepare different raw confections. It will be recommended. "
Mr. Kondo "In fact, Japanese sweets are delicious to eat along with wine, whiskey and other liquors. They can usually be enjoyed by those who are not sweet."
in conclusion
The word "raw cakes like cakes" was bursting from the start of the interview, so it was surprising, but for me, for beginners who have not been able to get ready for raw cakes, the image of the raw candy is now in this interview It has changed a lot. Share at a women's association or combine coffee and liquor with raw confectionery. Confirmed that the way to enjoy delicious is not limited to one. Not only match with green tea, but first try to enjoy at home instead of cake!
Shooting / Hiroaki Kuwahara
◆ Toraya Akasaka Branch Address 4-9-22 Akasaka Minato-ku, Tokyo
Official site
▼ After coverage, I immediately enjoyed the "raw cake girls' association"!
Women's Association sweets era of "raw sweets"! Enjoy sharing Japanese sweets from Toraya
