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Justin Parker
Senior Project Paper
Mrs. Dunbar

Japanese Cuisine

Japanese cuisine is a true cultural experience. Not only does it display Japanese culture
wonderfully, it also shows off cultural influence that the people of Japanese heritage have
absorbed from people and places all around the world. The cuisine of Japan, as well as their
culture as a whole have been changed, revamped, and molded in many different ways throughout
history and, even though few true cultural experiences remain, they lie with the food,
ceremonies, and holidays.
The History of Japan is wrought with fantastical lore pertaining to its creation as well as
the sadness and destruction brought about by war. In Legend, Japan was believed to have been
created by the great Sun Goddesses who then created the Emperors to rule over it. Known
Japanese history begins in A.D. four hundred, when the Yamato clan, which was eventually
based in Kyoto, managed to gain control of other family groups in central and western Japan.
Contact with Korea introduced Buddhism to Japan at about this time. Through the seven
hundreds, Japan was greatly influenced by China, and the Yamato clan established an imperial
court similar to that of China. In the ensuing centuries, the authority of the imperial court was
undermined as powerful gentry families vied for control. Around the same time, warrior clans
that came to be known as Samurai began to arise. Eventually, the Minamoto clan came to power

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and in eleven hundred and ninety two, they set up a Military Government which was ruled by
their leader Yorimoto. He was designated as a Shogun, a Japanese Military Dictator. For the
following seven hundred years, shoguns from a succession of clans ruled in Japan, while the
imperial court existed in relative obscurity (Infoplease pg.1). First contact with the West came
in about 1542, when a Portuguese ship sailed off course and arrived in Japanese waters.
Portuguese traders, Jesuit missionaries, and traders of Spanish, English, and Dutch origin later
followed. Suspicious of Christianity and of Portuguese support of a local Japanese revolt, the
shoguns of the Tokugawa period (16031867) prohibited all trade with foreign countries; only a
Dutch trading post at Nagasaki was permitted. Western attempts to renew trading relations failed
until 1853, when Commodore Matthew Perry sailed an American fleet into Tokyo Bay. Trade
with the West was forced upon Japan under terms less than favorable to the Japanese. Strife
caused by these actions brought down the feudal world of the shoguns. In 1868, the emperor
Meiji came to the throne, and the shogun system was entirely abolished. At the Washington
Conference of 19211922, Japan agreed to respect Chinese national integrity, but, in 1931, it
invaded Manchuria. (Infoplease Pg. 3). The following year, Japan set up this area as a puppet
state, Manchukuo, under the current Emperor, Henry Pu-Yi, the last of China's Manchu
dynasty. On the 25th of November, 1936, Japan joined the Axis Powers. The invasion of China
came the next year, followed by the Pearl Harbor attack on the U.S. on Dec. 7, 1941. Japan won
its first military engagements during the war, extending its power over a vast area of the Pacific.
Yet, after 1942, the Japanese were forced to retreat back to their own country. The dropping of
atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 by the United States finally
brought the government to admit defeat. Japan surrendered formally on Sept. 2, 1945, aboard the
Missouri Battleship in Tokyo Bay. Southern Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands reverted to the

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USSR, and Formosa (Taiwan) and Manchuria to China. (Infoplease pg. 3). The Pacific islands,
however, remained under U.S. occupation.
Gen. Douglas MacArthur was appointed supreme commander of the U.S. occupation of
postwar Japan (19451952). In 1947, a new constitution took effect. The emperor became largely
a symbolic head of state. The U.S. and Japan signed a security treaty in 1951, allowing for U.S.
troops to be stationed in Japan. (Infoplease pg.3). In 1952, Japan regained full sovereignty, and,
in 1972, the U.S. returned to Japan the Ryuku Islands, including Okinawa.
As an archipelago in the Pacific, Japan is separated from the east coast of Asia by the Sea
of Japan and it is approximately the size of Montana. Japan's four main islands are Honshu,
Hokkaido, Kyushu, and Shikoku. The Ryukyu chain to the southwest was U.S.-occupied from
1945 to 1972, when it reverted to Japanese control. Japan is a land of dramatic contrast: the
traditional geisha using high-tech gadgetry; the much vaunted politeness and the elbow in the
back on a crowded commuter train; and the constant desire to save face balanced against the
nations love of the karaoke machine. Kimono, thatch-roofed farmhouses and views of Mount
Fuji unobstructed by skyscrapers are getting harder and harder to find, and yet as one scratches
the shiny veneer of new Japan, traditional ways and almost feudalistic values lie surprisingly
close to the surface (The Food of Japan pg.6). Today, the Japanese still honor and celebrate the
archaic traditions, ideals, and holidays that their ancestors did thousands of years ago, and
theyre still adding even more holidays to their year.
During Japanese holidays, the Japanese will partake of various foods both eaten on a
usual basis and special ones prepared solely for said holiday. On national Holidays such as New
Years Eve, people make Mochi, a Japanese rice cake made of mochigome, a short-grain japonica
glutinous rice. The rice is pounded into paste and molded into the desired shape. In Japan it is

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traditionally made in a ceremony called mochitsuki, where two or men pound the Mochi in a
heated vat with wet mallets. Sometimes, men will perform the ceremony in the nude, clad only in
a loincloth. Other holidays, such as Valentines day and White Day. There is a strong tradition of
women giving chocolates to men on Valentines Day. There are two types of chocolates, Girichoco (obligation chocolate), and Honmei-choco. Giri-choco is meant to be for friends,
colleagues, bosses, and close male friends. Giri means obligation hence this Giri-choco has no
romance involved. On the other hand, Honmei-choco is given to a boyfriend, lover, or husband
with true love. Japanese women often prepare the Honmei-choco by themselves, considering
many Japanese think it is not true love if they just buy the ready made chocolate at shops. Large
displays of chocolate will begin sprouting up everywhere in department stores and grocery stores
in mid-January. Days before the Valentines Day, stores are packed with a large variety of
chocolates, the cooking tools with which to make the chocolate, and crowds of women. On
White Day however, men are supposed to give return gifts to women who gave them chocolates
on Valentines Day, as is common courtesy to give return gifts in Japan. More often the color of
the chocolate is white because of the days namesake. Flowers, candies and other gifts are also
popular along with the chocolates and, once again, department stores have many advanced
reminders with gift displays so men will have no excuse to forget about this special day which is
important for women. (Japantravelinfo pg.5). With events such as the Traditional Japanese Tea
Ceremony, special sweets are served such as mochi balls to combat the bitterness of the Green
Tea.
In Japan, there is no food more important than Rice or Gohan. Every Japanese meal
includes rice. However, there are a variety of rice dishes that might be included in the meal, such
as steamed white rice (hakumai), brown rice (genmai), or the steamed rice might also be mixed

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with barley to make mugi. There are also numerous seasoned rice dishes where the rice is
steamed with vegetables or with the addition of seafood or other various proteins known as
takikomi gohan. (Japanesefood.about.com pg.2). Rice was first introduced to Japan in 300
A.D., during the Yogi period of Japan, and it quickly became the foundation of the Japanese
communities of the time. This trend followed Japan through nearly two thousand years, and rices
is still the main course of every Japanese meal. Traditional Japanese cuisine is dominated by
white rice, and few meals would be complete without it. (Ethnicfoodsco). Anything else served
during a meal such as fish, meat, vegetables, or pickles are considered a side dish. Side dishes
are served to enhance the taste of the rice, since most people arent big fans of eating rice alone..
Traditional Japanese meals are named by the number of side dishes that accompany the rice and
the common soup dish that is often served with Japanese meals. The simplest Japanese meal, for
example, consists of Ichiju-Issai, which translates into soup plus one" or "one dish meal. This
means that the meal will consist of soup, rice, and one accompanying side dish--usually a
pickled vegetable like daikon radish. A traditional Japanese breakfast, for example, usually
consists of miso soup, rice, and a pickled vegetable. The most common meal, however, is called
Ichiju-Sansai, or "soup plus three. It consists of soup, rice, and three side dishes, each
employing a different cooking technique. The three side dishes are usually raw fish (sashimi), a
grilled dish, and a simmered (sometimes called boiled in translations from Japanese) dish,
although steamed, deep fried, vinegared, or dressed dishes may replace the grilled or simmered
dishes. Ichiju-Sansai often finishes with pickled vegetables and green tea. (Ethnicfoodsco).
Japanese food is also known to be incredibly healthy, for each meal to have its own
good season, and that Japanese cuisine is even medicinal as well as therapeutic. Japan is also
known for its seasonal diets of locally produced food. Fall brings mushrooms, chestnuts,

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potatoes and local fruit. Winter offers hot pots and stews, along with a variety of pickled
vegetables and red miso, to keep the body warm. In Spring, the Japanese favor bitter leafy
vegetables, and in Summer cucumbers, cold noodles with eggplant, soybeans, and grated fresh
vegetables as garnish are enjoyed. The cuisine of Japan is shaped by its four distinct seasons,
by its regions, and by the tastes and cooking methods of those who live in the differing
regions. It also has a great emphasis on fresh, beautiful ingredients, as it is a cuisine that first
and foremost delights each of the senses. The Japanese will still purchase store bought versions
such as canned vegetables out of season, but nothing will ever beat fresh food in its respective
season. The basic premise of Japanese health and longevity is that healthy food is natural
medicine. The result is that healthy eating is quite simply a 'way of life'. The housewife in
Japan looks at ingredients as a treasure house of nutritional value and health promoting
properties. She would look at food in terms of season, region, lifestyle and would have the
knowledge that some foods make the body cold, while others make it hot. Vegetables and fruits
gathered in winter have the effect of making the body hot, while those harvested in summer
have the effect of making it cold. Identically, vegetables and fruits gathered in cold areas are
effective in making the body hot and those in hot areas are effective in making it cold.
Therefore, having too much cold food makes the whole stomach cold and may cause a lack of
appetite, summer lethargy, and summer loss of weight. In addition, too cold air-conditioning
may cause neuralgia, menstrual irregularity and oversensitiveness to cold. On the other hand,
too much hot food may cause inflammation in the stomach due to keeping too much heat
inside. (ethnicfoodsco).
The Japanese kitchen has changed over the centuries but overall has still retained its
originality. For hundreds of years, the Japanese kitchen was a simple, dark room with a

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wood burner, a large crock for holding water, another crock or wooden tub for holding
pickles and a wooden counter for cutting. These early kitchens were certainly not bright and
pleasant places, but the process of cooking and eating together was made more cheerful by
the use of the Ironi, a large open hearth heated with charcoal and positioned in the middle of
the main room of the house. A hook hung above the hearth to hold a kettle of boiling water
for tea, or for one of the one-pot stews that are an important part of Japanese home cooking.
(The Food of Japan pg.21). Today, Japanese kitchens are about how you would expect them
to be, with todays modern appliances such as refrigerators, steamers, sinks, microwaves,
and other modern appliances. However, modern Japanese kitchens do tend to contain a
special cooker specifically for preparing rice. While the kitchen in Japan is usually a small,
cramped, unpleasant room, the dining room of the Japanese home is completely different.
The typical Japanese dining room is a large, roomy, visually appearing room with Tatami
flooring often containing a fireplace or smaller form of an Ironi. The dining room can also be
a room in which a sliding door can be opened so that the diners can enjoy a pleasant view of
a garden or the natural scenery of Japan. People typically eat at a table very low to the
ground and sit on either small, comfortable cushions or chairs even lower than the table.
Japanese table etiquette is quite a bit different from that of other countries, but still
promotes a polite way of eating. Before eating, the diners will say Itadakimasu
(pronounced Eeh-ta-da-ki-mas), which means lets eat or, more commonly, I gratefully
receive. After eating, one would say gochisosama or thank you for the meal. Its also
quite common when in restaurants or in private households to share food from larger plates
rather than each person receiving their own individual platters. Like a buffet, the diners will
move food from the shared plates to their own either with serving chopsticks or the opposite

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sides of their own chopsticks to prevent cross contamination. When eating rice with
chopsticks, it is common for people to raise their bowls to their mouths and use the
chopsticks to scrape rice into their mouths. Although it may seem rather rude, its also polite
in ramen shops to shovel your noodles into your mouth with chopsticks and slurp. Slurping
is not only accepted, but it is a sign that you are thoroughly enjoying your meal. Handling
your chopsticks is typically viewed the same as handling Western utensils in the way that
pointing them at others, waving them over the food at the table, and playing with them are
perceived to be quite rude.
Lastly, Japanese sweets are extremely unique and have multiple differences when
compared to Western sweets. The most common and well known Japanese confectionary is
Wagashi. Whereas Western sweets tend to be made from a base of dairy products and eggs,
Japanese confectionery is made typically from Azuki bean paste and sugar. Wagashi
specialize in the art of attracting the five senses. The first of course is taste. The second is
visualthey have an attractive, tempting appearance. The third is fragrance, which is more
subtle than that of Western sweets, but good in bringing out the flavor of the matcha tea
enjoyed during the tea ceremony. (So wagashi should not have a strong aroma.) The fourth is
the sense of touch given by their texture. They must be firm enough to cut with a toothpick,
soft enough to break into pieces, and somewhat chewy when you bite into them. As for the
fifth sense, hearing: something else that sets wagashi apart from Western confections is their
ability to stimulate an imaginative response when we hear their names, which we associate
with some scene in nature, or a season. One example would be cherry trees in bloom.
(Niponica). In Japan, it is common knowledge that, when a gift is received, a gift should also
be given in thanks. As such, beautiful Japanese confectionary caringly wrapped in a

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sensationally pleasing package makes for a perfect gift for friends, family, coworkers, and
other everyday acquaintances.
Japanese cuisine is an all enveloping sensual experience perfect for everyone. Japan,
though thoroughly enraptured in a more modern way of life, still has many outlets for their
true culture to shine through. Overall, experiencing true Japanese cuisine is the best way to
embrace the greatness of their culture.

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