Is the 'kaishi' mentioned in tea utensil descriptions a plate or a napkin?
This question arises when preparing tea and sweets, looking through accessories, and discovering a paper with an unfamiliar name. It makes one curious about its use—whether it serves as a substitute for a plate or is closer to a napkin.
Kaishi is a traditional paper that serves both as a small plate to hold sweets when drinking tea and as a napkin to wipe fingers after eating the sweets.
Kaishi, meaning paper kept in one's bosom, is a traditional paper placed within arm's reach during tea ceremony when sharing sweets and serving tea. Instead of the hassle of preparing dishes and napkins separately, a single sheet of paper is entrusted with both functions. The kaishi presented by Ippodo Tea also serves as a plate for placing sweets on during tea ceremony or for wiping fingers[1].
It is lightweight and compact. One bundle contains thirty sheets of paper measuring 14.5cm wide and 17.5cm long, making it convenient to take out neatly one sheet at a time whenever serving tea to guests[2][3]. Generally, dry sweets or wagashi are placed directly on the paper to be served, and after enjoying the sweets, it is utilized to wipe fingers or folded inward to wrap up and dispose of crumbs.
hmmm, the method of welcoming sweets with a single sheet of paper and cleaning up neatly, sparing the trouble of washing dishes, helps easily incorporate the tea ceremony into everyday life.
The specific raw materials of the paper and whether it has undergone waterproofing have not yet been confirmed.