Food in Japanese culture History

Jomon period

• natural food

• Pot

• Lack of salt

Yayoi-KOFUN period 400BC-600 AD

• Arrival/spread of rice making technique

• Rice eating culture and with side dishes

• Steaming rice and intro of chopsticks for rituals

• Production of salt and hishio

Asuka Nara period (592-794)

• various cooking methods from china

• Intro of sugar and sake

• Ban of meat diet

• Nare zushi

Heian period

Ritualized banquets for court nobles

• ritualized feast especially for court nobles (daikyo ryori)

• Unbalanced nutrition

Kamakura period 1192-1336

• food culture in samurai society

• Influence of Zen Buddhism

• Intro of tea

Muromachi period 1336-1603

• banquets by samurai was formulated

• Establishment of the basics of Japanese cuisine

• Cha-kaiseki (meal before tea ceremony was established)

Edo period

• eateries and restaurants became widespread in urban areas

• Kaiseki ryori was formulated a multi course dinner

• Sushi and tempura became popular

Meiji

-ban on eating meat was lifted

Intro of western food, and electric cuisine

Showa period

Westernization of food culture an traditional food

Importance of Shinto and Buddhism

Shinto: emphasizes purity, naturalness, and food offerings to the gods, but spoke little of the afterlife

Buddhism: flexible in the matter of gods and deals largely with the afterlife

• both share reluctance to take life, both

SHINSEN

• food offering to the Shinto gods

• Seasonal ingredients on ritual trays

  • = symbol of appreciation to the harvest from the nature

  • = origin of Japanese food culture

Naorai

• ritual of eating the SHINSEN afterwards,

• Symbolizes being united with the gods and connects them with the people

What is the most important thing about Japanese food culture?

A mind of appreciation

What is Washoku?

wa means harmony and traditionally Japanese, shook is food meal or cuisine

4 elements of washoku

• foodstuff

• dishes/cooking

• nutrition

• hospitality (omotenashi)

Japanese ministry of Agriculture, forestry, and fisheries

1. respect for various fresh seasonal ingredients and natural tastes

2. nutritionally well-balanced and healthy diet

3. express nature’s aesthetics and its seasonal changes through food

4. closely connected to annual events