Otayori 2026 Spring Issue: Hospitality, Tea, and Ikebana
Written by Team MUSUBI
Another spring has sprung, and with it comes the newest issue of otayori, the seasonal magazine for MUSUBI KILN customers. Amidst the busyness of the everyday, we hope this magazine offers a moment to take a breath, to pause, and to invite a little extra richness into your routines.
In this issue, we introduce the Japanese art of omotenashi—hospitality—with an exploration of ikebana, two colorful new recipes, and a look into the joy of sharing green tea with others. Whether you’re greeting guests or just want to give yourself a little pick-me-up, we hope otayori warms up your home this spring.
Table of contents
Experiencing Green Tea
Indispensable to hospitality anywhere in Japan are freshly-brewed servings of green tea, and this theme bookends our spring issue. Starting with a column exploring the welcoming comfort of the ubiquitous beverage, the magazine also comes with a tea poster, with tips for how to choose and brew a wide variety of Japanese teas.
As will become a theme for this issue, it’s about more than tea alone, but the empathy behind it. Each cup holds not just tea, but the wish for others to be relaxed and feel welcome, a simple yet poignant nod to the human bonds that bring us together.
Fresh Spring Recipes
Tying in spring colors with your meals is a wonderful way to savor the season—and bring its freshness to guests at your table. The first recipe in this issue is for chirashi sushi. The decorative mix of rice, vegetables, egg, and seafood is nourishing, shareable, and vibrant all at once.
Just as the first cherry blossoms start to bloom, strawberries come into season in Japan, appearing seemingly overnight at supermarkets and greengrocers. Embracing that joy is a recipe for strawberry daifuku: a mochi-based treat marrying tart and sweet. With a jewel-like berry at the center, it’s the perfect dessert to bring along on a hanami picnic.
Snip out otayori’s recipe pages or cue up the accompanying videos to get cooking.
Connecting with Ikebana
Finally, two of our writers visited an ikebana school to learn how flowers can become the quiet language of welcome. Our interview with the ikebana instructor gave us new ideas for how to arrange blossoms in a way that works with a space and honors both guests and one’s own heart. We hope that coming along with us on this ikebana experience will help you find omotenashi inspiration, too.
Make Your Voice Heard
Nothing makes us happier than connecting with you, the people who give meaning to our mission to share Japanese crafts with the world. And otayori becomes even richer with the voices of our readers.
Please share your feedback and ideas using the link below. Your input will help shape future issues of otayori, allowing it to remain a source of inspiration and joy for our community.
We look forward to continuing to connect hearts through Japanese craft—together.
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