A platter of thirty-six to thirty-nine centimeters, loaded with what the mountains and the sea of this province give. Sashimi, seared bonito, sushi made with whole fish, country sushi. A kumimono platter carries sushi, simmered dishes, dressed vegetables, fried things, something sweet, and fruit, all on one surface.

The origin is put in the domain period, when food was served on large platters at the close of a samurai banquet. After the Meiji period it spread across the whole prefecture as the food of an okyaku.

An okyaku is what Tosa calls inviting people over and holding a party, and unlike a good many regional customs this one is very much alive.

There is a detail that tells you how the thing is read locally. You can judge the scale of an okyaku by counting the platters, because each one runs to roughly three servings. Weddings and funerals, the birth of a child, a sixtieth birthday, a seasonal festival, a new house. Whenever people gather, these go down on the floor of the room. Nobody eats from an individual plate; the platters sit in the middle of the room and everyone takes from them. The number of platters is the size of the day.