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1
Chill four mukōzuke vessels — seasonal ceramics, lacquer, or a natural serving surface appropriate to spring — in the refrigerator until cold to the touch. The vessel is not neutral; it is the first declaration of season the guest receives before tasting.
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2
Trim and portion the sashimi-grade tai fillet into clean slices of even thickness — the standard cut for white fish in kaiseki service. Arrange on the chilled vessel with deliberate economy: each slice placed to communicate the fish's translucency and the cook's restraint. This step decides the dish: the quality of the cut, the temperature of the fish, and the coherence of vessel-to-ingredient together constitute the mukōzuke's entire flavour and seasonal argument — if the fish is warm, the soy is wrong, or the vessel is seasonally misaligned, the course fails its structural purpose in the meal.
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3
Place bud shiso and kinome alongside or beneath the tai. Each garnish element must reflect the current micro-season — kinome is the spring reference point; its resinous, citric fragrance confirms the season to a literate guest.
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4
Grate fresh young wasabi to order immediately before service. Set a small mound beside the fish. The wasabi is accent, not condiment — its volume should communicate restraint.
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5
Present tamari or first-pressed kikuchi-jo soy in a small separate dish at each place. The soy is calibrated to the fish: a lighter shiro-dashi suits more delicate white fish; full tamari is appropriate here for tai. The seasoning choice is itself a quality statement. Confirm that the soy is cool and its aroma clean — it should accent the fish's intrinsic character, not dominate it.