会 席(かいせき)

かいせき

noun

banquet course, formal dinner

formalfood

See also: 懐石(かいせき) (kaiseki meal (懐石))

1. banquet-style Japanese cuisine, formal multi-course dinner

A style of Japanese cuisine served as a sequence of courses at banquets, parties, or upscale restaurants. Emphasizes seasonal ingredients, beautiful presentation, and the social aspect of dining together.

会席(かいせき)料理(りょうり)を予約(よやく)した。

I made a reservation for kaiseki cuisine.

旅館(りょかん)の夕食(ゆうしょく)は会席(かいせき)コースだった。

Dinner at the inn was a kaiseki course meal.

季節(きせつ)の食材(しょくざい)をふんだんに使(つか)った会席(かいせき)料理(りょうり)は、見(み)た目(め)も美(うつく)しい。

Kaiseki cuisine that uses seasonal ingredients abundantly is beautiful to look at as well.

Not to be confused with 懐石(かいせき) (also read かいせき), which originally refers to the simple meal served before a tea ceremony. In modern usage, the two terms are often used interchangeably for formal Japanese course meals, but their origins differ.

Common collocations

会席(かいせき)料理(りょうり) (kaiseki cuisine, banquet-style meal)
会席(かいせき)コース (kaiseki course meal)
会席(かいせき)膳(ぜん) (kaiseki set meal/tray)

Etymology

会席(かいせき) literally means "gathering seat" and originally referred to gatherings for 連歌(れんが) (linked verse poetry). The elaborate meals served at these gatherings evolved into the formal dining style known today.

general

Added 2026.2.18 3:38 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01

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