Crown Tournament 10/19/2019 - Muromachi period (1336–1573) Honzen Ryori (本膳料理) Style Meal

This is a Japanese style feast. Diners will experience food served in a different format, different tastes and different temperatures than the more typical SCA feast. Much of the food will be served already portioned, cold or room temperature.​

If you are using your own feast gear, be aware that the most primitive of sinks will be provided for your cleanup as the site does not have facilities to allow for this. Additionally, bags will be provided for you to put your dirty dishes into. DO NOT wash your dishes in the bathrooms–unless you want to clean up the clogs that you will cause.​

If you do not like a particular dish, don’t feel obligated to eat it. If you DO like something, inquire if seconds are available. You should not go away from the table hungry, and if all else fails, rice and tea refills will be provided.

Seasonings on the table include:

Shoyu, Pickled Ginger, Rice Vinegar and Salt


On Table ​

Vegetarian Gyoza 餃子
Sarada yō kyabetsu 福神漬 (Japanese Slaw)
Fukujinzuke 福神漬け (red pickles for curry)

Hon-Zen -First Tray

Namazu kabayaki ナマズの蒲焼 (catfish kabayaki)
Gohan (rice) ご飯
Gari ガリ (Pickled Ginger)
Tsukemono - pickles - Mikawa ae みかわあへ (salt and miso cured cucumbers) & Kohaku-namasu 紅白なます (Daikon and carrot Salad)
Tsuru no shiru 鶴の汁 (Crane Broth)
Edamame 枝豆 (green soybeans)

Shiobiki/ Himono (塩鮭)/(干物) Grilled dried fish

Nino-zen -Second Tray

O-Zoni Soup お雑煮 - Rice Cake and simmered vegetables with fish paste cake
Aemaze あえまぜ (Fish salad)

Sakabite さかびて (Fish flavored in sake)

Onishime オニシメ
Shimofuri 霜降 (blanched fish) served with Sho no Irizake 精進の煎り
Ebi no Umani 海老のうまに (Shrimp)
Hoshi Sāmon ほしサーモン- (Cold smoked salmon)
Sumashi-jiru すまし汁 (Clam Soup)
Yuzuke ゆずけ (hot water over rice)

Tamagoyaki - 玉子焼き- (Japanese Rolled Omelette)
Gomae ほうれん草ごまえ(Spinach )
Wakasagi Nanbanzuke - 南部の野bなスタイルのワカサギ Smelt in the “Southern Barbarian Style”

Sanno-zen - Third Tray

Kuri Gohan 栗ご飯 (Chestnut Rice)

Kabocha no Nimonao (simmered squash or pumpkin)
Kinoko no sūpu きのこのスープ Clear Mushroom Soup
Shōga pōku-maki nasu (ginger pork rolls stuffed with eggplant)
Kakuni (braised pork belly)
Suppon Nabe (Turtle Soup)

Okashi お菓子 Sweets

Anmitsu - (a selection of fruits, agar agar jelly, green tea with jasmine and lLychee ice cream, mochi, red bean paste drizzled with a sweet sugar syrup)
Kaki (persimmons) and Tanjerin (tangerine)
Jasumin matcha aisukurīmu (jasmine green tea ice cream)
Agar agar (kanten)
Red bean paste (anko)and kuromitsu (sweet sugar syrup)

​Dining Etiquette

Please bring your own chopsticks, if you do not have chopsticks, some will be provided for you. PRACTICE with your chopsticks to keep the feel of the feast, but if all else fails, use your fork. Most of the food you will be served will be portioned into bite sized pieces. If you encounter something soft that is larger than bite sized, use your chopsticks like a knife to press a bite sized piece away from the rest. Try not to skewer your food with your chopsticks. Also-please be aware that it is considered coarse behavior to shovel food directly from a bowl into your mouth with your chopsticks! We aren’t commoners, are we?​

You may drink directly from bowls if it contains liquid. Ideally, you would use your chopsticks to eat a few of the items floating in the soup, and then sip from the bowl once they are chewed. Slurp your noodles with your broth. This is polite.

You may notice that on the table at each dining spot there will be a small bowl that is empty. This is the bowl that you will use for mixing the condiments provided, so that you can dip your food into it. Many of the dishes may be “under seasoned”. This is normal, and condiments will be refilled at your request.​

It is also considered polite to eat a bite of rice between bites of your food. For example, a bite of fish, a bit of rice, a bite of vegetable or a pickle, a bit of rice, etc.​

Lastly, you will notice that there are no items on your tables when you sit. Prior to eating, it was common to drink sake and eat small food items in a separate room. We will not be doing that. Alas, your table will be empty. Shortly after feast begins, the first of three trays of food will be brought out. They will only be cleared when the trays are empty, or you request it be removed. Please be patient with the service provided. Plating and service are dependent on the speed of those who have volunteered to serve. Be kind.​

Please volunteer to entertain. Common entertainments included singing, dancing, jokes, stories and poetry, otherwise, conversation should be conducted in a hushed tone.

One final thing of note–those who have volunteered to work in the kitchen, serve, and clean up, will be the only individuals taking home left overs from feast. Your offers of help with clean up, food prep and service are greatly appreciated.

Special thanks to Mistress AnneLiese Wolkenhaar aka Jennifer Munson, for the excellent instructions which were written for the feast she served at the Sword and Chrysanthemum event in the Shire of Eisental, October 19, 2002.