Eating Wagashi First (お菓子を先に食べる - Wagashi)
The strict rule of eating the served Japanese traditional sweet ('Wagashi') completely BEFORE you take your first sip of matcha. The sweetness must be layered on your palate first to balance the tea's incoming bitterness.
Designed to maximize your sensory experience of the high-grade matcha. Coating your mouth with the elegant sugar sweetness of red bean paste (Anko) first makes the following warm, slightly bitter tea taste incredibly smooth and deeply flavorful.
Wagashi is served with a small wooden pick before the tea is whisked. Use the pick to cut the beautiful seasonal cake into bite-sized quarters and eat them entirely before the tea bowl is placed in front of you.
What is the correct dining sequence for consuming your Wagashi sweets in a tea ceremony?