This is a food ceremony called Sechie (banquets held on auspicious occasions) which started in the Heian period at the Imperial Court in which auspicious shapes (Zuisho-kei) of food, such as fish and chicken, are formed using only kitchen knives and chopsticks.

* This food ceremony can be demonstrated upon request (budget: From 50,000yen (before taxes). (Reservation required)

< About the Ikama school of Shiki Hocho >

The Shiki Hocho is manners of using a kitchen knife at the Imperial Court that started in 859 by the Emperor Seiwa's instruction.

Later, the banquet was held at Court on auspicious occasions. Fish such as carps and sea breams were prepared only with the kitchen knife and chopsticks without touching them to make an auspicious shape which had been called Zuisho-kei.

The Ikama family was given the surname by Minamoto-no-Yoritomo and served as the cooks of the KamakuraShogunate.

Thereafter, it had served the successive shogunates, Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and military commanders.

When Toyotomi Hideyoshi adopted Prince Hachijo who had been a younger brother of the Emperor Goyouzei in those days, the Ikama family was told to become servants of Imperial prince the Hideyoshi's instruction. The family worked at Court since then.

Furthermore, Prince Hachijo constructed the Katsura Detached Palace, which is existing in Kyoto now. In the Edo period (1604~1868), the Ikama family had worked as cooks at the KDP.

At present, the30th family has run "Mankamero" in Kyoto that serves the Imperial　Court-style cooking.