Saryo Zeze, a temple café set within the restored former Kofukuji sub-temple Sozon-in in Nara, is launching a year-round afternoon tea series titled "Yin-Yang Five Elements Afternoon Tea" from March 1, 2026 (Sunday) through February 28, 2027 (Sunday).
The series draws on the Eastern philosophy of yin-yang and the five elements (wood, fire, metal, water, and earth), with menus that shift in harmony with the seasons.
Spring Chapter: "The Energy of Wood"
The first chapter is themed around spring, representing the element of wood. In yin-yang philosophy, spring belongs to "wood" — a season of transition from winter to spring, when energy stored inward begins to sprout outward.
Supervised by Maki Hashimoto, a practitioner in traditional Chinese herbal wellness and phytotherapy, the menu weaves together Nara's local ingredients, Japanese flavors, and time-honored wellness wisdom, with a focus on sour ingredients to support both body and spirit.
The experience begins with a pre-meal sip: a drink made with ubai (烏梅), a traditional plum ingredient created by smoking and drying plums. From there, the course continues with dishes that delicately capture the breath of spring — including a bowl fragrant with spring aromas, and temari sushi centered on the themes of sourness and green.
A chawan (bowl dish) combining young buds, bamboo nodes, cilantro, and lime condenses the freshness and spirit of regeneration in spring into a single serving. Temari sushi featuring sea bream, rape blossoms, broad beans, and brown rice expresses the harmony and awakening of life.
The savory selections also include a "Herb, Cucumber & Yamato Pork Ham" sandwich and a spice-infused curry with "Chicken, Ginger & Lemongrass" — layered aromas that evoke the vibrant, growing energy of wood. For sweets, the course offers herb chocolate, yuzu macarons, Yamato tea financiers, and strawberry chocolate with white mousse, capturing the soft lingering quality of spring.
Year-Round Menu Rotation
Throughout the year, the menu shifts in alignment with the five-element cycle — spring (wood), summer (fire), autumn (metal), winter (water), and the transitional earth phases between each season. Each visit offers a different harmony of seasonal flavors, allowing guests to experience a philosophically rich and beautiful afternoon tea amidst the quiet atmosphere of ancient Nara.
Details
Available period: March 1, 2026 (Sunday) – February 28, 2027 (Sunday)
- Spring [Energy of Wood]: March 1 – May 31, 2026
- Price: ¥7,084 (tax and 15% service charge included, per person)
- Hours: 11:00 AM–5:00 PM (last entry at 3:30 PM), 90-minute session
- Includes: 5 savory dishes, 5 sweets, and 8 beverages
- Beverages include a seasonal herbal tea, "Five Elements YOJO Tea: Cycle of Wood," available for free flow (8 varieties)
- Reservations: Required at least 3 days in advance; menu is subject to change based on ingredient availability
