Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1908-01-29
A CEREMONIAL DINNER
EIGHT COURSE JAPANESE DINNER PAR.
TICIPATED IN BY DR.. EDWORDS.
Description Of Manner Of Eating Of Japan.
ese and Of the Viands Served at
Characteristic Japanese Dinner


before leaving / want to cell of cere-
monial dinner of which partook. 1t
will give good idea of how the
Japanese eat and what they have. 1
am sure that many of my readers will
| feel much as | did--that they would
rather have something different, but
| must say was agreeably disappoint-
ed and found the viands good and ap-
petizing. When dinner was announced
we were ushered into a room whose
only ornament was large blue vase
filed with crysanthemums. On the
floor were arranged fiat, velvet cush-
ions, and We took our places on them
with more regard to comfo4t than
elegance of position. Japanese from
childhood, are trained to sit on their
heels, but this is an accomplishment
that an European cannot emulate so
we had to sit cross-legged or with the
feet to one side. The attendants
were six native young women and
they served the first course on
lacquered trays. 1t consisted of tea
and sweet cakes. We first drank to
the host and then rinsed the tiny cups
and drank to the guests in turn. For
the second course small tray covered
with paper was placed before each
guest; on the tray was a small round
cake made of a sweet bean covered
with rice -four paste and set in four
sugar maple leaves. colored red to
represent real leaves. The cake was
very sweet and the leaves too pretty
TO eat. but the japanese ate all to the
last crumb.
Sake. the only intoxicating liquor
of Japan. was then served, very hot.
in small cups. and the ceremony of
drinking to host and each guest was
again performed. The fourth course
was soup made of salted beans, served
in red laquer bowls, sitting on little
flacquer stands six inches high. The
next course was composed of three
kinds of fish. served raw with a
piquant sauce and slices of cucumber.
While this was being eaten the wall
at one side of the room was rolled
aside and a number of geisha girls
danced to strains of three Japanese
instruments which made soft music
| The sixth course consisted of boiled
chestnuts, fried eel, snipe, cake
made of eggs and sea weed, stewed
plums and boiled fish, garnished with
raw carp shredded very fine.
1t did not add to my enjoyment of
the meal TO see the carp from which
the shreds were taken swimming
about in tub of water. The Japanese
always cut them up alive, and some
times it seems as if nothing but head
and backbone were swimming about
in the tub. The seventh course looked
like an iced fruit cake. but it proved
to be fish with a covering of white
lobster meat. With this was served
preserved grapes, small potato and
preserved ginger. This was eaten
while a beautiful Geisha girl was
| poouuA ing
For the eighth and last course we
were served with boiled rice with
neither sugar nor salt to make it
palatable, a salad. egg plant, soup
and more tea. Tea was served four
times during dinner, each time from
a Different tea pot and differently
colored tea cups While the last
course was being eaten the third dance
was performed. this time by three
geishas, being the rehearsal of a
Japanese love story. Tobacco smok-
ing was an Important feature of the
dinner. as it is universally indulged
in by both sexes in Japan. \ wooden
tray and fire pot stood at the side of
each person, while beautifully carved
ivory pipes, inlaid with silver. were
furnished for each person who did
not bring his own. These pipes have
a long silver tube and small bowl
which holds pinch of tobacco, not
permitting more than three whiffs.
The tobacco is so mild that it is al
most tasteless. One of the peculiar
customs of the Japanese came out at
the end of the meal when it was dis
covered that L had been unable to eat
all that had been set before me. Quite
a number of articles had been but
tasted. and as we were preparing. to
rise one of the servants brought to me
a beautiful wooden box in which she
deftly placed all the food had left.
and wrapped it so / could take it
home with me. took it gracefully.
and one poor half starved dog that
met at the hotel door protited thereby.
1t would have been an insult to the
host had failed TO take it away. so
saved his feelings and made the dog
HAPPY.