kaiseki cuisine; traditional Japanese multi-course meal
Refers to the sophisticated, multi-course Japanese meal often served at high-end restaurants. The full term is 懐石料理, but 懐石 alone is commonly used.
See also: 懐石料理
I had an authentic kaiseki meal in Kyoto.
light meal served before tea ceremony
In the context of the Japanese tea ceremony, this is a simple, rustic meal served before the tea. Also called 茶懐石.
See also: 茶懐石
At a tea gathering, first we have the light meal.
simple meal served before tea ceremony
kaiseki cuisine; traditional Japanese multi-course meal · tea-ceremony dishes; light meal served before tea
Originally from the Zen practice of placing a warm stone (懐石) against the stomach to stave off hunger; the term was adopted for the light meal served in the tea ceremony, and later extended to the elaborate multi-course cuisine.