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From KGW: Umami Café at Portland Japanese Garden Offers Warm Respite During Winter Months

Reminiscent of Kyoto’s legendary Kiyomizu-dera temple, the Umami Café floats over a scenic hillside that provides enchanting views of Portland Japanese Garden’s surroundings here in Washington Park. KGW paid a recent visit to our warm and inviting Café to sample hanabira mochi, a traditional New Year’s menu item available now through February 28.

Handcrafted by Portland resident and wagashi expert Gena Renaud, these Japanese sweets are traditionally served at Hatsugama, or the first kettle, the initial tea ceremony of the new year. To enjoy these edible delights and our world-class green teas, make a reservation by clicking here.

Hanabira mochi, the traditional wagashi served during the Japanese New Year with “the first kettle” of the year, one of the most important in tea ceremony tradition. Hanabira means “flower petal,” representing perserverance, purity, and renewal–attributes to pursue in 2022.