Japanese Food Culture [PDF]

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Nicole Huang



Japanese food culture



Nicole Huang



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Nicole Huang As we all know, Japan was deeply influenced by Chinese culture. Especially in Han Dynasty and Tang Dynasty. The similar culture includes to character, eating habits, traditional festival and religion. Some people usually compare Japanese culture and Chinese culture, and then think that Japan was assimilated by China because Chinese culture took a huge part of Japanese culture. It cannot be denied that Japanese culture was influenced by China. However, I want to argue that Japanese have their own style, and create their own characteristic. In this essay, I focus on Japanese unique food culture. This food culture depends on Japanese geographical location, climate environment, and I will demonstrate Japanese food culture has own national features. Furthermore, I will introduce several special Japanese cuisines and very popular food in this essay.



The characteristics of the Japanese food culture The major feature of Japanese cuisine are related to all kinds of sea foods. The one reason is that Japan is a country and have not lack of the sea food, and influenced by the marine climate. Furthermore, most Japanese temperature in every year is mild and humid. This temperature made an opportunity to the development of sea foods. Therefore, Japan provide people with an large amount of seafood. The second reason is that Japanese food culture was deeply influenced by Chinese traditional culture. Japan is also belief in Confucianism like China, and Confucianism regard killing as a sin. Therefore, Japanese tradition foods avoid eating animals like beef, chicken and mutton. Instead, they only eat small animals like shrimp, crab and all kinds of fish (Michael & Jecob).



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Nicole Huang In Japan, the foods depend on season changes. The season of Japanese climate is benefit to Japanese people planted vegetables and fruits. Japanese preferred to keep preserving the natural flavor of the food, they also use less dressing and like insipid food. Because of this, uncooked foods and raw foods are their best choice (David & Tan). The eating habits of eating lightly made Japanese people healthier than other countries' people. Moreover, the majority of the Japanese old people are tendency toward longevity. Usually, Japanese people are dainty about them foods. The design of foods is very exquisitely. For Japanese people, the foods are not only by taste, but also by vision/sight and smell.



The three types of Japanese food Japanese cuisine are based on rice with miso soup and other dishes, it divided by three types. Such as kaiseki-ryōri (懐石), honzen ryōri and kaiseki-ryōri (会席)! kaiseki-ryōri was speared from Japanese Kyoto's sacred temple, there was a group of monk practice. They are not allowed eating too much food. It is hard to them to resist the hunger sensation. Therefore, when monks feeling starve, they will hug a warm stone in their arms to resist the sense of hunger. The kanji characters 懐石as a Chinese Character used to write kaiseki literally mean "bosom-pocket stone" (Kyo Ryori & Kaiseki). This is the origins of the kaiseki-ryōri. At present, Modern kaiseki draws on traditional Japanese haute cuisines. It continued four traditions. The one is imperial court cuisine (有職料理 yūsoku ryōri), in the Heian period from 9th century as Buddhist cuisine of temples. After three centuries in the Kamakura period, it was regards as samurai cuisine, and special supply to warrior households. In the Muromachi period from 14th is tea ceremony cuisine. The last stage is in the Higashiyama period of the Muromachi period. From the 15th century, kaiseki coking are more 3



Nicole Huang and more sophisticated. Whether or food utensils are placed demanding (but the weight of the food rarely) and seen by some as works of art, upscale kaiseki also cost a lot of money. The main costumes food has pottery, porcelain, lacquer (Osechi). Honzen-ryōri, it used for wedding ceremony and funeral ceremony. This Japanese cuisine is originated in the Muromachi period from 14th century. However, Honzen-ryōri is not popular in Japan at present (Alan). The third one is kaiseki-ryōri (会席), it based on kaiseki-ryōri (懐石) and honzen ryōri. Kaisekiryōri (会席) developed in the middle of Edo age. Usually. kaiseki-ryōri (会席)is in order to entertain guests, it also similar with an informal honzen ryōri. In Japan, tourists can order kaiseki-ryōri (会席) in any Japanese restaurant. In addition, kaiseki-ryōri (会席) is very similar with Chinese traditional foods. Both of them includes about cold dish, cooked dish, soup, rice and dessert.



What the eating habits and taboo in Japanese food culture Although Japanese food is very famous in the world. There are lots of taboos in Japanese culture. Whether you are tourist just want to travels in Japan, or go to a Japanese family as a guest. You can never ignore the different traditional taboo in Japanese food culture. Usually, Japanese culture and Chinese culture are highly similar because of both them influenced by Confucianism. Jianzhen, the friendly ambassador of the cultural exchanges between Chinese and Japan's culture. Some eating habits were be spread at that time. For example, both Japanese people and Chinese people are use chopsticks when they eating foods. However, they cannot lick their chopstick when they use their own chopsticks. Also, they cannot use the chopsticks rummage the foods which they like. Licking the chopstick and the chopstick rummaged are regarded as rude 4



Nicole Huang and lack of education in Japanese and Chinese family. Actually, those eating habits was not only a rule, but also protect people's dietetic hygiene. Most Asian people share their foods when they are eating, therefore, the chopsticks are very easily to transmission oral bacteria if people have not cared about the using details (Lyudmila). What's more, a taboo about the chopsticks is that people cannot use their chopsticks knock at the bowl. The reason is that the noise can attract hungry ghost attention. Even though this is just a superstition and scientific evidence was lacking. People must follow the rule any time when they use the chopsticks. There is an interesting eating habit in Japan is when people eating noodles, especially the noodle with soup, the guest need make a noise when they drinking the soup. The noise represents you love this noodle. The louder that you make a noise, the favor that you like the noodle. Usually, most people do not know this Japanese eating habit. They might keep very silence when they drinking the soup, and they think that make a noise when they are eating is rude. However, those guests' eating habits might make Japanese householder feel uncomfortable. They will hesitate that the noodles which they made was not delicious. As far as I am concerned, every guest or tourist needs do in Rome as Rome does. They should respect the Japanese eating habits and taboo when they are in Japan. Even though they might not use to eat noodles and make a noise.



What is Japanese food in Japanese people's mind? The majority of people know that Japan was a country with strong learning ability. On the one hand, their own food culture influenced by Chinese food culture. On the other hand, Japanese



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Nicole Huang people know how to innovate and adapt their own taste. Therefore, Japanese traditional foods are not only popular among western country, but also popular in their own countries. Although Japanese young generation was deeply influenced in American culture and European culture at present, and many Japanese young people love hamburger and French fries very much. In fact, Japanese food cannot replace in most Japanese people's life. Three years before, when I was a freshman student in China, I had travel in Japan. What impressed me most was that Japan is the united country, and Japanese people are friendly and love their country. They are respect to their own culture, and includes food culture. I remember in Japanese restaurant, nearly all restaurant with a Japanese flag on the wall. Many Japanese waitresses are wearing Japanese kimono, they are warm and patient to every customer. I can see that Japanese people are related their food culture to their national spirit. At Colorado State University, I have a Japanese friend, his name is David Nakata. David was lived in Fort Collins nearly seven years. He speaks fluent English and he is very adapted with American lifestyle. However, he told me he will come back to Japan when he graduates at Colorado State University. "My parents still live in Japan.” David told me, and then he said "When I was eating in America every time, I cannot help myself missing my mom. My mom is an industriou woman, she is good at cooking. I will never forget the sushi that my mom made to me. “He smiled to me. "But Fort Collins have many sushi restaurant, you can try any ones.” I asked. "Exactly,” he said "you know what, most Japanese restaurant in America, the taste is changed to cater to Americans. My stomach is just only digest food in my hometown. That is other food cannot replaced. "



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Nicole Huang As an international student, I am deeply understand what David feelings when he told me about his thought. In most Asian location, food is a powerful vessel of shared traditions, a direct pipeline into the soul of a community (Katarzyna).



In conclusion, I love Japanese culture and food very much. The reason is the Japanese traditional food with Japanese people's patient, aesthetic ability and unique specific recipes. It makes customer could enjoy the great natural taste of Japanese traditional food. Although in the way of cooking in Chinese includes to steam, fry, boil, smoky and stew, and the way of cooking in Japanese traditional foods just includes to steam and fry. However, Japanese traditional foods are very delicious. People live in America can see Japanese cuisine restaurant in every small city. There are several famous Japanese tradition food in their country, and also popular in worldwide.



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Works Cited



Ashkenazi, Michael and Jeanne Jacob (2003) Food culture in Japan (Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group).



Bloch, Lyudmila. “Top Dining Taboos in Japanese Table Etiquette.” World-Class Business Etiquette, 19 Aug, 2010.



Cwiertka, Katarzyna J. (2007) Modern Japanese cuisine: Food, power and national identity (London:Reaktion Books).



“Kyo Ryori & Kaiseki.” Kyotoguide. Kyoto City Tourism Association. Web. 16 April 2015.



"Osechi: What Is Kyo-ryori (Kyoto Cuisine)?" Kyoto Foodie Where and What to Eat in Kyoto RSS. N.p., 28 Dec. 2008. Web. 16 Apr. 2015.



Wiren, Alan J. “Japan's Traditional Food Styles.” Japan Visitor. Web. 16 April 2015



Wu, David Y. H., and Chee Beng. Tan. Changing Chinese Foodways in Asia. 221st ed. Vol. 10. Hong Kong: Chinese UP, 2001. Print.



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