A higashi-bon is a shallow tray holding dry sweets (higashi) for thin tea. Two kinds of sweet are usually arranged together, differing in shape and colour, so that the tray reads as a small composition rather than a serving.
In practice
The tray is set before the guests, who take sweets by hand — no pick is needed — and eat them before the tea arrives. Lacquer and plain wood are common. Because dry sweets keep their shape, seasonal moulded forms are used freely, and the pairing of sweet and tray is one of the clearest signals of what time of year a host has in mind.
About this article
Edited by the operator of Chaen (a one-person operation) / Last updated:
Tea ceremony descriptions can vary by school and source. Where interpretations differ, this glossary avoids definitive claims and focuses on broadly shared understandings. If you notice an error, please let us know viaContact. To learn about our organization, seeAbout Chaen.
Term info
- Category
- Tool
Related terms
- Chaki (tea containers, collectively)chaki
The general term for vessels holding matcha, divided into thin-tea containers and thick-tea jars.
- Chasen (tea whisk)chasen
A whisk cut from a single piece of bamboo, used to mix matcha with water; treated as a consumable.
- Chashaku (tea scoop)chashaku
A slender bamboo scoop for measuring matcha, often carved by the host and given a poetic name.
- Meimeizara (individual plate)meimeizara
Small individual plates used to serve sweets one guest at a time.
- Kashibachi (sweet bowl)kashibachi
A shared bowl or dish in which moist sweets are brought to the guests.