Finding “Washoku” 〜Japanese Food Culture〜

Preface  "Washoku", traditional Japanese cuisine, was registered in the UNESCO Representative List of the lntangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December 2013.  The Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries cited the following four points as the characteristics of “Washoku". 1) Respect for nature blessed with fresh seasonal ingredients from the sea, the mountains, and the countryside and the use of natural resources. 2) Nutritionally well-balanced and healthy diet. 3) Presentation of the natural beauties and the changes of four seasons. 4) Closely connected to annual events like New Year's Day.  “Washoku " is becoming very popular in the world. An increasing number of foreign tourists must have tried Japanese food and they would like to enjoy it again.  This book is dedicated to those who live in other countries. It introduces the characteristics and the heart of Japanese food culture with pleasant illustrations for help. We focus not only on the special foods and their meaning in some seasonal festivals in Japan but on the ingredients supporting Japanese food culture.  We hope our readers will cultivate a better understanding of Japanese food culture and enjoy more “Washoku". Nara Women's University Kimiko Ohtani, Ph.D. Read more