和食 — ユネスコ無形文化遺産と一汁三菜

Washoku was inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2013. Following French cuisine, Mediterranean cuisine, and Mexican cuisine, this was a registration related to food, with the official title "Washoku: Traditional Dietary Cultures of the Japanese." A distinguishing feature is that what was honored was not the dishes themselves, but the entire surrounding culture and customs of food.

UNESCO cited four features of washoku. First, "respect for diverse, fresh ingredients and their natural flavors." Second, "a healthful diet with excellent nutritional balance." Third, "the expression of natural beauty and the changing of the seasons." Fourth, "a close connection with annual events such as the New Year."

The most basic way of composing a washoku menu is "ichijū sansai" — one soup and three dishes. Concretely, this means the staple rice, a soup (often miso soup), a main dish (the protein center, such as fish or meat), and two side dishes (vegetables, seaweed, and so on).

This composition contains the wisdom for naturally balancing nutrition. It is designed so that carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber all come together in a single meal — and it forms the basis of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's recommended dietary balance guide.

What sets washoku apart from other national cuisines is its umami culture, built on a foundation of dashi. Glutamic acid in kombu kelp, inosinic acid in dried bonito flakes, and guanylic acid in shiitake mushrooms — the combination of these creates a strong synergistic umami. Like the fond of French cuisine or the tang stock of Chinese cuisine, dashi is the element that supports the framework of the entire cuisine.

Thanks to the strength of dashi, washoku can construct flavor with almost no oil or butter. This connects to its healthful, low-calorie, low-fat profile — and became one of the rationales for the UNESCO inscription.

In washoku, the concept of "shun" (peak season) is extremely important. Bamboo shoots and mountain greens in spring; pike conger and sweetfish in summer; matsutake mushrooms and Pacific saury in autumn; oysters and yellowtail in winter — each season has its time of greatest deliciousness, and choosing ingredients to match that time is fundamental. Restaurant menus change every month, and even the serving vessels are changed according to the season.

Presentation is also a cornerstone of washoku. Space is left as margin, height is added for a three-dimensional feel, and the five colors — red, green, yellow, white, and black — are kept in mind. Maple leaves and nandina berries are often added to express seasonal feeling, and washoku is often said to be cuisine you "taste with your eyes."

Japan is long from north to south, and its climate and ingredients differ greatly by region. As a result, distinctive regional cuisines developed in each area. Akita's "kiritanpo" — new rice mashed and wrapped around a cedar stick, then grilled — is eaten in a hot pot made with broth from Hinai chicken.

Okinawa's "gōyā chanpurū" stir-fries the strongly bitter bitter-melon with tofu, pork, and egg — symbolizing the subtropical climate and the islands' pork culture. Kyoto's "obanzai" are home-style everyday dishes: simmered and dressed preparations served a little at a time on small plates. Plain but valuing dashi and seasonality, they can be called the very origin of washoku.

Washoku is not merely the act of eating rice and miso soup — it is a culture that reflects the very way of life of the Japanese people: a connection to nature, the dining table shared with family and community, and a sensibility for the four seasons. Now, when international acclaim is rising, perhaps it is worth our own time to revisit the ichijū sansai dining table.