National Geographic Traveller (UK)
Sushi lesson, Osaka
Cheery, kimono-clad Machiko welcomes would-be sushi masters into her minimalist home for lessons on washoku (traditional Japanese cuisine). “Do you know umami?” she asks during my visit. “To describe umami is dicult, it’s delicious and sensitive.” We learn about the savoury flavour while honing in on a key element of washoku: sushi. Machiko claps as I roll the perfect tamagoyaki omelette, takes me through the intricate rules of making nigiri-zushi by pressing rice with two fingers then draping a thick slice of fresh salmon atop, and looks pleased as I delicately stu sticky rice into spongy, deepfried tofu pockets. Our colourful sushi — some tied with thin strips of nori, others spinkled with sesame — is displayed on long, black lacquered trays, accompanied by a pink pile of pickled ginger. Served with miso, it o ers the perfect balance of nutrition and aesthetics. We tuck in; hard work never tasted so good. washoku-hc.com
Tea ceremony, Matsumoto
“I’ve done this for 45 years and I’m still learning,” says sensei Soshin as she prepares to demonstrate sado (‘the way of tea’). I’m ushered through Hyakuchiku-tei teahouse’s small crawl-in entrance to an alcove featuring a burnt-orange flower arrangement and calligraphed scroll. We kneel in formal seiza style on a tatami floor, as sticky wagashi snacks filled with red bean paste are doled out. Soshin displays a mastery of her cra: she gracefully cleans tools, drops vibrant matcha (green tea powder) from a bamboo ladle into a bowl and adds just-right hot water. The liquid is rapidly mixed with a bamboo whisk until it becomes a thin tea. I rotate the bowl 90 degrees and watch as it swirls with satisfying bubbles before taking a sip. It’s creamy, mildly bitter with whispers of sweet. But this is about more than a cuppa — it’s a lesson in Japanese culture, from presentation to crasmanship. And I’m still learning, too. matchagdn.com visitmatsumoto.com /en