Toraya: The Five Senses of Wagashi Zen.

This week’s Grub Hub takes your spirit on a mini-Zen break in the city in a Japanese salon de thé near the Place de la Concorde. Popular with Japanese tourists and expats, as well as highbrow locals, Toraya is the perfect place for a relaxing afternoon tea in bright surroundings. Toraya has been making Japanese pastries since the 16^th century (their tearoom has been open since 1980 in Paris).

What is Wagashi?

Wagashi is the Japanese word meaning “Japanese confection”. Wagashi is an art form dating back to almost the beginning of time (it actually predates the Tang Dynasty, which began in the early 600s A.D.). Wagashi, like the Japanese tea ceremony, is considered to be a vital force in Japanese culture. Wagashi is often served with green tea.

It is believed that the art of wagashi touches upon each of the five senses.

Sight. The design of each different type of wagashi is carefully undertaken to represent something from Japanese literature or nature. You may see a colorful fan, a sleeping rabbit, a green leaf, or a bright pink flower. Each wagashi is beautifully crafted.

Sound. Wagashi are given different names which attempt to evoke a particular image when spoken out loud. These names are a combination of words from traditional Japanese literature and something beautiful from nature.

Smell. The smell of the wagashi is subtle and is meant to work in unison with the tea with which it has been served. It will not overpower the tea; it will complement it.

Taste. The taste of the wagashi represents the mainstays of the Japanese diet. Wagashi are made with local rice, grains, and beans. These basic ingredients are slightly sweetened with the finest cane sugar.

Texture. Different wagashi have different textures, whether it be crisp, moist, or soft. As you eat your wagashi, the taste and texture merge and allow you to experience the wagashi fully. It is very ceremonial.

Yokan, Yoru no Ume

When I spent the afternoon at Toraya, along with my pot of the freshest green tea I’ve ever had, I ate Yokan (specifically, a Yoru no Ume), a small, dark brown pastry made from the red azuki beans (similar to soybeans). It is a gelatinous bean curd cube with a whole bean in the center and is slightly sweetened. The texture is truly unique and you slice off a small bit at a time with your bamboo knife, savoring the flavor and texture while you drink your tea.

Even though wagashi are sweetened, don’t go in expecting it to actually be sweet as Westerners would define the term. Keep in mind that it’s still made from rice or a bean and enjoy it for the cultural difference.

Afternoon tea at Toraya is peaceful and calm, even though people will be coming in and out. The crowd, while a mix of locals and Japanese tourists and nationals, is, above all else, quiet and laid back. The décor is Zen with orange and white ultramodern seating and an open, flowing floor plan dotted with Japanese floral arrangements.

Along the wall where you enter is a counter where you can buy boxes of wagashi to go. As yummy as that sounds, I imagine that part of eating wagashi is the Zen experience of actually being in a Japanese salon de thé, eating off of a square ceramic dish and using a bamboo knife. I wouldn’t want to lose that by eating wagashi in my living room.

Toraya is located at 10, rue St. Florentin in the 1^st. They’re also open for lunch and come out with a different and unique menu monthly (with curry tofu & eggplant sandwiches, among a few other items, on tap for this month). Reservations are not necessary. And did I also mention they make ice cream from their selection of teas?