Japanese Food Culture

Today, Japanese food is recognized as the one of the world's most healthiest cuisines. As they use rice and abudant marine products at it's mainstream, traditional Japanese diet is impressingly low in cholestrol, fat and calories and high in fiber. That's why the Japanese have highest longevity rate.

During the development of Japan, the Chinise contributed soy sauce, tea, chopsticks and imperal rule which Japanese people influenced later. They also influenced Korea in Buddhism which later became the official religion. For the next 1200 years meat was officially forbidden in Japan. Then in the sixteen century, the Westerns introduced fried foods and the Japanese enjoyed this type of cooking. Tobacco, sugar, and corn were also brought by the traders.

In 1600s Japan's shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu closed the ports and expunded foreigners as he feared the Europens would spark great wars.This was an isolation period, jowever Japan's culture became more rooted. Buddhism and Shinto religions emphasize on the seasons and this was reflected in the foods. Meals feature in five flavors and colours, respectively being, sweet, spicy, salty, bitter and sour; and yellow, black, white, green and red. In Meiji period, a New Year's fest had been designed to embrace the Western world, it was in European in detail and for the first time in over a thousand years, the people publicly ate meat.

 

In Japan, food and dishes are considered to be a type of art. Although there are no marvlling seasons held before the eating, the Japanese people really enjoy the artistic sense and display of the meals so much. More beautiful the food looks, more delicious is it thought to be.

I want to give some exaples of Japanese cuisine which is more familiar and appreciated around the world.

Sukiyaki

Tempura

Sushi

Sashimi

Ramen

Dango (Japanese dumpling made from rice flour)

Sake (an alcholic beverage made from femented rice)

Eating Japanese food is an experience to be enjoyed and remembered fondly for the rest of your life. Having Japan's unique food culture added to the UNESCO list is an excellent way to express how their cuisine is delicious and sufficient.

Japanese Mythology

Japanese mythology includes a vast number of gods, godesses and spirits. Most of the stories concern the creation of the world, foundation of the islands and the activities of deites, humans, animals, spirits and magical creatures. While some myths describe characters and events associated with particular places in Japan, other are set in legandary locations such as heavens or the underworld. Since there are a lot of stories in the mythology, I will just write about the most important and attractive two stories that I am interested in.
To start with, there was a chaotic mass, an ill defined egg, and full of seeds. Gradually, the finer parts became heaven (yang), and the heavier parts became earth (yin). Finally, the most important creator deities, the god Izanagi and the goddess Izanami appeared. They began to procreate the islands that now make up Japan as well as many of the god and goddesses.

Izanagi and Izanami

While giving birth to the fire god Kagutsuchi, Izanami was badly burned. As she lay dying, she produced more gods and goddesses. Other deities emerged from the tears of her husband. When Izanami died, she went to the land of darkness and death. Izanagi followed her and tried to get her back. As her body had already started to decay, she told her husband that she could not leave there. Izanagi could not resist looking at his beloved wife one last time.When he lit a torch and saw her rotting corpse, he fled in terror. Angry that Izanagi had seen her, Izanami sent spirits to chase him. Izanagi managed to escape, and sealed off the passage to Yomi-tsu Kuni with a huge boulder. Izanami remained there and ruled over the dead.

Feeling unclean as he contcacted with dead, Izanagi decided to bathe in a stream to purify himself. As he undressed, gods and goddesses emerged from his discarded clothes. Others came forth while he washed. Susano came  from his nose, Tsukiyomi emerged from his right eye and Amaterasu appeared from his left eye. Izanagi devided the world among these three deities. He gave Susano to control oceans, assigned Tsukyomi the realm of the night and made Amaterasu the ruler of the sun and the heavens.

Probably, the best known deity in Japan mythology is the sun goddess Amaterasu whom I like most in the myth. She said to be the ancestor of the imperial family. She brings light into the world and is responsible for fertility. Her shrine at Ise is the most important shrine in Japan.

  

The sun goddess Amaterasu 

The storm and sea god Susano

The last story that i want to talk about is between Amaterasu and her brother Susano. Susano was unhappy about his sharing the world and caused a lot of destruction. He banished to Yomi-tsu Kuni, he asked to go to the heaven to see his sister the sun goddess one last time. Amaterasu became concerned that he might be planning to take over her lands. They agreed to contest to prove their power. If Susano won, he could stay in heaven forever, but if he lost, he would have to leave. Amaterasu asked for her brother's sword which she broke into three pieces and chewed in her mouth. When she spit out the pieces, they turned into three goddess. Susano then took a string of five star shaped beads which Amaterasu gave him. He put the beads in his mouth, chewed them and spit out five gods. Susano claimed victory as he had produced five gods. However, Amaterasu pointed out that he created these gods from her possessions which proved that she was actually greater than his. Susano refused to acknowledge defeat and Amaterasu allowed him to stay in heaven.
While in heaven Susano began doing things that offended his sister and violated important taboos. He destroyed rice fields, made loud noises and dirtied the floors of her palace. Finally, Susano killed one of the horses in heaven, skinned it and hurled it into the wall where Amaterasu was weaving cloth. This so angered Amaterasu that she hid in a cave and refused to come out. When the sun goddess concealed herself, the world was plunged into darkness, plants stopped growing and all activities came to halt. Desperate for Amaterasu's return, gods gathered to discuss ways to get her back to heaven. A wise god named Omori-kane proposed a solution. The gods hung a mirror on the branches of a tree outside the cave. Then they had a young goddess named Ama no Uzume dance to music while they laughed loudly. Amaterasu heard the noice and wondered what was happening. Opening the door to cave a little, she asked why gods were so happy. They told that they were celebrating because they found a goddess superior to her. Curious at who this goddess might be, Amaterasu opened the door wider to look and saw her own image in the mirror. When she paused to look at her reflection, a god hiding nearby pulled her completely out of the cave. Another god then blocked the cave with a magic rope. After Amaterasu emerged from the cave, her ligth shone once again, and life returned to normal. To punish Susano for his actions, the gods banished him from heaven.       

Sakura- Hanami

Sakura with the other name of its, cherry blossom is a national flower of Japan which has a significant value for the Japanese as it represents the end of the winter and begining of a new life and season of spring. They celebrate the event every year in spring.
Hanami means looking at the flowers, but it is used for a unique flower, ''sakura''; in particular. It is unique for Japanese people and for their culture as it only in full bloom for few days. It is a very beautiful moment, but also sad and melancholic, too, since they fall from the trees. It makes feel a little gloomy as it reminds that all life must come to an end.

However, it is not a depressing experience. The Japanese are doing this to have a good time. They eat, drink, sing song, tell stories, laugh and enjoy, if even just for a few hours. When the sakura are full bloom, they display fireworks which make people have a smile in their face. Every year, weather services and media closely follow the event and indicates the opening of the first blossoms and this shows that they really care about this event so much. 

  

There are over one hundred cherry tree variates in Japan,but far the most popular cherry tree is Somei Yoshino. Most of them are ligth pink to white blossoms, but there are also dark pink, yellow or green ones.

    

Somei Yoshino cultivated during Edo Period. It is slightly pink and almost white.

Today, Japanese people continue the tradition of Hanami gathering in great numbers whenever the flowering trees found. They take part in the processional walks through the parks. This is a form of retreat for contemplating and renewing their spirits. ''Dead bodies are buried under the chery trees'' is a popular saying about Hanami.

 

Hanami has become popular outside of Japan, as well such as United States, Taiwan, Korea, China, The Philippines and Georgia. It is also popular in several Europian countries, for example; Finland. In Macon, Georgia there is a festival called International Cherry Blossom Festival.

The Japanese Tea Ceremony

The Japanese Tea Ceremony also known as chanoyu,chado or sado is a traditional choreographic ritual of preparing and serving Japanese green tea called Matcha. The tea has a bitter taste, so it is generally served with traditional Japanese sweets to balance it.

The Tea Ceremony is an art form cuts through all Japanese culture since it embraces many art forms such as architecture, gardening, ceremics, textiles, Japanese calligraphy, flower arragements and Japanese cuisine, plus sculptring of ashes and building of a beautiful fire.

Tea Ceremony came about when Japan adapted both Chinese pratices of drinking powdered tea and Zen Buddhist beliefs. In 1500s, Sen No Rikkyu incorporated the ideas of simplicity and that each meeting should be special and unique. It became more than just drinking tea, it is a spiritual experience that embodies harmony, respect, purity, and tranqulity.

The study of Tea Ceremony takes many years to learn and lasts a lifetime. Even to participate a guest in a formal Tea Ceremony requires a lot of knowledge including gestures, phrases expected from them, and a proper way to take the tea and sweets from host.

In Japan, many choose to take classes or join clubs at dedicated tea schools, collages or universities. There are schools teaching methods of preparing and enjoying tea. 

There are significant rules in making Tea Ceremony. Host should wear kimono while guest wear kimono or subdued formal wear. If the tea is to be served in a seperate house, guests should wait in a garden shelter until summoned by the host.

Performing this ceremony requires a lot of actings. Even the utensils that you are going to use is significant. First of all, each utensil- including the tea bowl, whisk, and tea scoop is ritually cleaned using prescribed motions. The utensils are placed in a precise arrangement according to the ritual being performed. When the ritual cleaning and preparation of utensils are completed, the host should place measured amount of hot water, then whisk the tea using precise,prescribed movements. The bowl is served to the guest of honor (shoukyaku)- first guest, by the host or assistant. The host and guest bow together after which the guest slowly sips. When finished, the guest then slowly turns the bowl in his hands. The guest then returns the bowl to the host who ceremonially repeat this process with each guest. After this process, host purifies the utansils once again, bows, and leaves the room just as he or she entered (traditionally, backing out). The guest then remain a few moments to absorb the peaceful atmosphere, each leaving just as they entered.

Japanese Tea Ceremony is very different form our ways to serve tea and holding formal British style tea parties. I think the symbolosim and traditions of the tea ceremony leaves much to be appriciated. I had a chance of experience a tea ceremony with a Japanese friend of mine. In reality it is not something that can be described, it must be experienced.