"The World's Most Luxurious Tea Ceremony"

I usually spend my days off at the company tennis court. The feeling of sweating out all the bad stuff I've consumed over the week—drinking, eating—is the best. It wasn't inspired by Nishikori at the US Open, but I imagine myself as a top player. Just the other day, as I boldly dashed toward the net to attack with a volley, "Thud!" A pain like a hard ball hitting my calf. My first-ever muscle strain sent me straight to the hospital. Looks like I need to warm up more thoroughly, watch my diet, lose weight, and aim for a comeback.

Just when I needed it, a devilishly tempting new product arrived. It's a dessert-specialty catalog gift called "The World's Best Tea Party." You can choose your favorite from 20 types of sweets carefully selected by regional newspapers nationwide.

For example, the Tooku Nippo (Aomori) selected the "Kogetsu Apple Pie." Hirosaki City in Aomori Prefecture, Japan's top apple producer, has many apple pies, and Tamura Farm, an apple grower, is particularly renowned. They use only Kōgyoku apples, grown with meticulous care from soil preparation on their own farm until they ripen to a deep red. The filling – apples sautéed slowly in butter with their skins on, flavored with honey and Calvados, a French apple brandy – glows ruby red.

 

Meanwhile, the representative from Jomo Shimbun (Gunma) is Marutaya Sohonten's "Fresh Cream Daifuku," a long-established shop boasting over 250 years of tradition since its founding in 1756 (the 6th year of the Hōreki era). Despite generations of running a Japanese confectionery shop, the 19th-generation owner, Masayoshi Tamura, somehow became a Western confectionery artisan. Together with his father, the 18th-generation owner and Japanese confectionery artisan Isao Tamura, he developed the "Fresh Cream Daifuku." When cut in half, the delicate and vividly colored bean paste and cream reveal the distinct craftsmanship of both Japanese and Western confectionery artisans.

Another shop with a unique successor is Fugetsudo, recommended by Shikoku Shimbun (Kagawa). Their "Rich Matcha Double" comes from Shido, Sanuki City, known as the hometown of Hiragane Gen'nai. The third-generation owner, who upholds the shop's banner established in 1930, has an unusual background as a graduate of a technical university. Using his innate research mindset to add innovative ideas to tradition, he developed this dessert featuring two layers (double) – a rich matcha mousse from Uji, Kyoto, and a rare cheese layer infused with matcha.

 

 

Such unique sweets gathered from all over Japan to create the "World's Greatest Tea Party." But the most distinctive feature is its design.
Customers who order the catalog receive a white box, like those found at confectionery shops. Inside is a cake-like tin. Each piece inside features a photo of a single dessert plate, so spreading them out on the table creates a "tea party" atmosphere. Turning the cards over reveals article-style product descriptions. You simply choose one you like, place your order, and it arrives later.

 

Does it look real? It's all photographs.	 

 

We planned this as the second installment following the popular catalog gift " Gift Bento " we mentioned before. However, the product design concept (idea) is new and different from the first installment. Unlike the Gift Bento, which sent a wide range of regional specialties like wagyu beef and dried fish, this time "ekiben (travel)" clearly didn't fit. Instead, art director Maho Kudo came up with the perspective of "giving a tea party." The idea was that sweets possess the power to delightfully confuse people, so arranging them in a grand tea party-like display would express the sheer joy of choosing.

Once you hold it in your hands, you'll understand—every detail is infused with playful delight. Thanks to this, it was a huge hit at the Osaka product launch event too. If you'd like, you can purchase it by clicking here.

 

Maho Kudo, AD (on assignment in Taiwan until September)

 

Please (do, do!) give them a try!