An Invitation to the Profound Taste of Japanese Cuisine (PDF)

An Invitation to the Profound Taste of Japanese Cuisine

The greatest joy of traveling overseas must surely be Even today, first-class Japanese food served at ry‐otei cuisine, has been handed down to this day. Whether coming into contact with and experiencing a different and kapp‐o restaurants looks beautiful, tastes delici- eating out or at home, meals combining Japanese and culture. Even though we now live in an age of ous, and is perfectly balanced in nutrition. This Western foods have become commonplace, and it is effortless access to information, seeing is believing, in healthy food could be described as the perfect becoming increasingly difficult to draw a distinction other words, it is important to actually visit the place cuisine. between Japanese food and other foods for Japan and experience for yourself. When you travel to Japan has been incorporating the cooking methods of and stay at the unique lodging facilities known as As for the origins of Japanese cuisine, there are many various countries worldwide. There is a prominent ryokan, you will be overwhelmed by the 'foreignness' interpretations depending on the perspective. Here, trend among Japanese consumers to seek rice, meat, of the culture, so different from others, and made up we will assume that Japanese cuisine originated in vegetables and other ingredients sold under brand of so many diverse elements. In particular, through the food prepared for court aristocrats in the years names. This can be positively interpreted as a your encounter with Japanese cuisine, you will preceding the Nara Period. However, the culinary reflection of the pursuit of delicious food made since acutely perceive the uniqueness of our culture with all techniques were very simple back then, and opinions ancient times by the Japanese who are used to your five senses. differ as to whether the food was worthy of being adapting to things new. called 'cuisine'. Nonetheless, food prior to this era The most remarkable feature about Japanese food is had primarily been considered as merely a source of In the contemporary Japanese ryokan, food is that Japan is blessed with an exceptionally rich energy for sustaining life, and so it is possible to prepared by introducing elements of Japanese variety of ingredients. The country is a long and identify the roots of Japanese cuisine in the Nara regional cuisines and foreign cooking methods while narrow arc of islands stretching from the subarctic Period. Since then, the techniques of Japanese fundamentally adhering to traditional Japanese zone in the northeast to the subtropical zone in the cuisine improved significantly in each period, through cuisine, producing kaiseki ry‐o ri (party dishes) southwest, and has four distinct seasons as well as wealth, power, religion. Initially, the influences of characterized by original touches added by each of many mountains and rivers, providing ideal habitats Buddhism gave birth to sh‐ojin ry‐ori (vegetarian meals the ryokans. Although this trend has taken root for animals and plants. Moreover, the oceans prepared for religious reasons) using foods processed nationwide, some ryokans serve mainly ky‐odo ry‐ori surrounding the country are home to numerous from vegetables and soy beans. Sad‐o (the art of (local specialties), have adopted the buffet style, or fishing grounds, and all kinds of fish can be caught ceremonial tea) produced kaiseki ry‐ori (tea-ceremony are creating unique forms of Japanese cuisine under from both the warm and cold ocean currents. The dishes), and honzen ry‐ori (formal dinner served on new interpretations. fresh and bountiful products of the sea and mountains trays with legs) emerged from the samurai society, have greatly contributed to the development of which later developed into kaiseki ry‐ori (party dishes For Japanese people who choose to stay at ryokans, Japanese food, allowing our own original food culture served on individual trays) served during sake feasts. the food is one of the most important factors for to blossom. At the same time, all kinds of ky‐odo ry‐ori (regional selecting a ryokan. The quality of the food is greatly dishes) developed in each locality. In the Kant‐o influenced by the skills and sense of the chefs. That is For a very long time, the Japanese people did not eat District (Edo), nigiri-zushi (hand-rolled sushi), tempura why each ryokan strives to hire experienced chefs meat but ate mostly fish and vegetables due to the (deep-fried fish and vegetables), soba (buckwheat with first-class skills, and is committed to training influence of Buddhism. Japanese food is unique noodles) and unagi (eel) dishes were created, whereas younger chefs to ensure that these techniques are among the cuisines of the world in that only small in the Kansai District (Kyoto), kaiseki ry‐ori (tea- properly handed down. amounts of oils and spices are used. Furthermore, the ceremony dishes) developed into refined dishes availability of the freshest ingredients and abundant served at high-class ry‐otei restaurants, and the foods After this lengthy explanation, it is our earnest desire clean water have enabled the Japanese to develop of both districts spread nationwide. Later, all of the that you will have the chance to relish the sumptuous unique techniques that rely on as little additional above foods started to adopt elements from one dishes prepared by the ryokan laid out with pride flavoring as possible and to bring out the original another, and eventually merged harmoniously, which before you on the dining table, and hope that they will flavor of each ingredient. Japanese cuisine explains the extensive diversity now seen in Japanese suit your palate. But however much we describe the embodies a unique focus on seasonality, requiring cuisine. food, nothing can compare to experiencing Japanese proficiency at cooking seasonal ingredients and cuisine for yourself. techniques for expressing the four seasons even in From the Meiji Period onward, the practice of eating the actual arrangement of the food on the plates. meat spread, and a new form of Japanese cuisine, quite different from the genuine form of Japanese

バイキング形式のカウンター お弁当形式の日本料理（昼食） A buffet-style counter. Japanese food (lunch) neatly arranged in a box in an obent‐o style.

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