It is said that for Japanese cuisine, the tableware is the garment. Lacquerware, ceramics, porcelain, and other types of tableware are unparalleled in variety, each beautifully expressing the seasonal nature, flowers, birds, winds, and the moon that make Japan unique. The decorations of ikebana and hanging scrolls, seasonal flowers for food, and other arrangements for entertaining guests are also customs unique to Japanese culinary culture. This spirit of hospitality is the basis of the tea ceremony, and kaiseki cuisine is greatly influenced by it. The attention to detail in the dishes and the decorations that complement the food is the result of the Japanese sense of beauty and the spirit of hospitality.

Focusing on the “tableware and decoration” of Japanese culinary culture, the exhibition explains how the spirit of hospitality and the use of beautiful tableware are reflected in Japanese cuisine.