Home > Encyclopedia of O-CHA(tea) > "Ocha no ko saisai" - That's piece of cake
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If you
heard the expression of "ocha no
ko saisai" you may picture someone's
face of full confidence. This expression
has same meaning of "that's piece
of cake" in English, and origined
from the beat phrase of the songs
"non no ko saisai". However what
is the mean of Ocha no ko (child
of tea)? The word of "ocha no ko"
started to be used from long time
ago in Japan. There was a famous
court noble called Tokitsugu Yamashina
during Sengoku period, and he often
mentioned in his diary that when
he stayed at the house of Yoshimoto
Imamoto in Sumpu (old name of Shizuoka
city), he often had drink with his
close monk and had Ocha no ko as
horsd'oeuvre.
During the Edo
period there were venders on the
street to sell "cha no ko mochi"
for the light breakfast. This was
how the word of Ocha no ko used
to be used, however, the actual
meaning of Ocha no ko is being told
as "like a child who follows the
tea".
The expression of tea
does not only signify a tea for
drinking but also tea for eating
as tea porridge. Cha no ko not necessary
means for the snack for the tea,
it also means light meaks, In fact,
on the( mountain area?) of upper
Tenryu river, the light meals to
eat for the breakfast is called
"Cha no ko", but it does not come
with tea.
By the way, there
is the food called "Mago cha" which
is eaten by fisherman in Izu. To
make Mago cha, put fresh raw bonito
on the top of the rice, and pour
the hot tea from on the top. Some
people say since this food is exceptionally
delicious, if you are too slow in
motion (mago mago suru in Japanese),
someone else come and eat them up,
and that's meal is called "Mago
cha". However, Kunio Yanagida believes
Mago cha (grandchild tea) means
a grand son of tea.
(Yoichiro Nakamura)