Irises have a special meaning at this time of year, and in the teahouse we serve 'ayame-mochi' (あやめ餅).

It was believed the plants could ward away evil and cleanse impurities, and so it was common to see them hung from the eaves of houses.

It's often difficult to gauge when to start celebrating the various blossoms...but this isn't a problem inside the teahouse

a bevy of teahouses
suddenly!
cherry blossoms
茶屋村の出現したるさくらかな
-Kobayashi Issa (小林一茶), 1819.

Botamochi (牡丹餅) and ohagi (おはぎ) are nowadays very similar sweets, but were previously distinguished by their shape and the texture of the azuki paste used.

Botamochi are named after peonies (spring) and ohagi after bush clovers (autumn), denoting when they were eaten.
#京都 #Kyoto #和菓子 #wagashi

Earlier in the year, to coincide with a period in the traditional calendar known as 'fuki-no-hana saku' (款冬華 'butterburs bud' - January 20-24th), Nona (のな) created a special sweet called 'fuki-no-hana' (ふきの花). It mimicked the head of a butterbur flower.

Over time the original wafers changed in shape, and bean jam was added as a filling. No longer moon-like, the name was shortened to just 'monaka'.

(monaka-no-tsuki) もなかの月
= もなか (monaka)

Because the original 'wafers' looked moon-like they were named after a famous poem by Minamoto-no-Shitagō (源順 911-83)...

"as I see the moon reflected on the pond,
I realize it's the middle of autumn tonight"
池の面に照る月なみを数うれば今宵ぞ秋のもなかなりける

Shōfu-dō's (松甫堂) 'tsubaki-mochi' (椿餅) is sold exclusively on the approach to Jōnan-gu during plum blossom season. The sweet's slight octagonal shape was inspired by the shrine's famous amulet (protecting against unlucky directions).

#Kyoto #城南宮 #Jonangu #京都 #camellia #Japan #wagashi #和菓子

'Kokubaimochi' (黒梅餅 'black plum mochi'), sold for a short time by Oimatsu (老松) at Baika-sai (梅花祭), are named after a rare species of plum found at Kitano Tenman-gū.

Uguisu-mochi (うぐいす餅) is made by wrapping 'gyūhi' (求肥), a dough of kneaded rice flour and sugar, around bean paste.
The sweet was originally finished with a dusting of tea powder, but nowadays a green soy bean powder is used (or mugwort is added to the gyūhi).

Today's afternoon tea has a decidedly Welsh feel to it (naturally making me yearn for Welsh Cakes and Bara Brith).

Kameya Shigehisa's (亀屋重久) 'suisen' (水仙 'daffodil') would make a perfect St David's Day (聖デイヴィッドの日 - March 1st) accompaniment.

Sweets to start the New Year...prayers for longevity, prosperity, good fortune, and one to celebrate the year of the snake!

In the absence of snow I'll more than make do with Naraya Honten's (奈良屋本店) adorable meringue 'yuki taruman' (雪たる満)️

Even if you don't have the time, space or inclination to put up a Christmas tree, that's no reason to miss out.

Oimatsu's (老松) 'holy night' (聖夜 'seiya') is a colourful kinton dressed up as a tree all decked out for the big day

It seems that the Earl of Eulenburg decorated the first Christmas tree in Japan (at the Prussian Embassy) in 1860.

Another adorable visitor to the tearoom....'Kanazawa Bunchō' (金澤文鳥)

Seika Muromachi's (清香室町) Java sparrow-inspired yōkan come in a range of flavours. This rather festive-looking one contains figs and berries, and is flavoured with Kaga black tea (加賀紅茶).

It may not look like the most festive of treats, but New Year for Nao-san is marked by the arrival of her beloved 'turnips'

She begins 'kabura' (かぶら) season with Nijō Wakasaya's (二條若狭屋) adorable offering.

How many kabura will she consume this winter?