My shallow view

Can you guess the name of this confection?  At first look, I simply thought it would be just “green maple”, but it actually wasn’t.

My tea master usually buys the sweets for class from my favorite confectionery shop, Azumaken.  The fresh color of summer maple and watery sensation of jelly are perfect for this intensifying season.  I love this sweet.  Can you think of any unique name for this confectionery now? 

The name is komorebi, which means sunshine filtering through foliage.  I didn’t understand why it is named as sunlight.  But when I took a closer look, I kind of realized why it earned its name.  The confection has few straight tubal motifs in it.  I guess that they are describing the sunbeams streaming through the leaves.  How wonderful and elegant!  I was so impressed.  The Japanese confectioner tries to express not only the objects but even abstract concept like scenery.   I’m ashamed of my shallow view that I thought it’s just green maples, but at the same time I feel delighted to have learned this new discovery.

I think this is a good example of the great pleasures of Japanese tea ceremony.  If I see this confection in a tea ceremony, I would feel like the host is saying “Have tea under the cool shade of trees”.   I can exactly imagine the harmony and peaceful scenery.  We don’t talk too much in a ceremony, instead we enjoy the hospitality by feeling and understanding the idea it brings.  This unique way of communication makes the ceremony so much interesting and a memorable experience.