Last month, on her way home to Washington, D.C. from Japan, my mother stopped by sunny southern cali for a short visit. To see her new granddaughter, of course. Oh, and she said “Hi” to me, too. And she brought two books on Wagashi, which I had requested. They. Are. Beautiful. And they make me miss Japan so very much. The details, the colors, the presentation. Everything reflects a deep love and respect for the ancient art of making these beautiful sweets.
I hope you’ve taken a second to notice that the name of this blog is “cha no ma-ri.” Cha no ma in Japanese means “tea room,” and in Japan, one’s cha no ma is like a living room or a family room, the central room that brings everyone together. It’s the room where my father politely asked my grandmother for my mother’s hand in marriage. It’s the room where I watched my late uncle, a real macho type, lie on the floor and play with his grandsons as they climbed over his chest. It’s the room where I read, or tried to read, passages of my Japanese textbooks to my aunt when she occasionally had time to help me with my homework one summer while studying Japanese in Tokyo. It’s the room in my mother’s childhood home where some of the loudest laughter could be heard whenever we gathered there. When I write here at cha no ma-ri, I often think of where I’ve been, where I come from, and I take those thoughts and try to infuse them into my designs. Things don’t always come together the way I hope they do, but I come close every now and then.
Someday, just maybe, I’ll go back to Japan and take a few classes, maybe even apprentice with a wagashi master. Everyone has dreams. That’s one of mine.
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Oh, Mari! This is the most beautiful post. That 1st image, 2nd row! These are DREAMY. It makes me want to drive straight over to Japan Town. (I wonder if they would have them?) I hope you learn to make them! Can you read Japanese? …the books your mom brought you?
Thanks, Linda. I thought of you as I was putting the photo collage together. Wagashi are probably somewhere to be found in Japantown – ask around. As for reading Japanese, well, I used to be able to read it easily but I’ve forgotten so much that these days, I consult the dictionaries a lot more than I’d like.
Follow your dream Mari.
Thanks, Captain Cat. I think I will!
When you make your wagashi, I know they’ll be awesome. Just put me on the top of the list to send me some.
Paz
Paz. I don’t gotta put you there. You already is there. Huh.
i so so so love wagashi too. [but don't think i'd even try to make them]
when we were in tokyo there was a traditional wagashi maker around the corner from our hotel. they’d change the window every other day. so beautiful.
and there’s a new japanese sweets place in SF on market street near the montgomery bart station. i haven’t actually gone in to see how expensive it is, but….
[and thanks for your comment on my mom post ! it definitely feels good to know i'm not alone - and i can't believe your baby is 7.5 months already !!!]
Hello!
Just love your webpage!!! Really great!
Like you I Love wagashi too!
Would you share the titles of the books, and the authors’ names and ISB Numbers?
Keep writing!
Thank you for taking time to read my post!
Lyn