Do you like eating or want to eat traditional Japanese food?
The rich food culture of Japan is one of the things that attract tourists to the Land of the Rising Sun. In 2019, 31.9 million foreign visitors went to see and experience Japan. Thousands of people continue to visit the country despite the pandemic.
Will you also visit Japan soon and try the traditional Japanese food? Or are you only curious about Japan’s traditional cuisine? Below, we listed six facts about traditional Japanese food that you might not know yet.
1. Eating Meat Was a Forbidden Practice in Japan
Aside from seafood, did you know that Japanese people didn’t eat meat? The reason is religion and beliefs. To understand this, we need a quick lesson on history and Buddhism.
While some Buddhists avoid eating meat, doing so isn’t a strict taboo practice. The reason is that it violates their First Moral Precept, which is the killing of animals or other life. Buddhists also see the consumption of meat as intoxicating the body.
Japan became a Buddhist country between the fourth and sixth century BCE. While it preserved its shinto beliefs, most of the population became Buddhist. Even today, many Japanese people are Buddhists.
It’s also interesting that some of the best Japanese foods are once-forbidden meats. Some examples include wagyu beef and tonkatsu or fried pork cutlet. Even their typical ramen uses stock based on pork or chicken.
2. Sake Ferments With the Help of Saliva
Let’s switch from Japanese food to a Japanese drink. A well-known traditional beverage from Japan is sake.
Did you know that the old fermenting process involved a person chewing and spitting the rice out? Villagers would gather and chew rice and nuts. Afterward, they would spit the contents into a communal tub.
It may sound gross and uncouth, but human saliva has amylase. It’s an enzyme that helps break starch down into glucose. You can also find bacteria in your mouth that can kick off yeast fermentation.
Don’t worry about drinking sake today. The practice of kuchikamezake is already a thing of the past. The modern way of making sake uses fermented rice, yeast, water, and a mold called “koji.”
3. Japanese Used Wasabi to Kill Bacteria on Raw Fish
When you eat traditional Japanese food, you’ll notice it comes with some condiments. Often, these condiments include wasabi, pickled ginger, and Japanese ginger or myoga. You might also find a perilla leaf or shiso on the side.
Japanese people call these traditional condiments “yakumi.” which translates to medicinal flavor. You’ll often find them served alongside sushi and sashimi.
These condiments aren’t only there to bring out the flavor of the dish and add to its aroma. They’re also there to kill bacteria on the raw fish like Hamachi, saba, and Maguro. After all, ancient Japanese didn’t have coolers or refrigerators to keep their fish fresh.
Since we’re on the subject, do you want to know more about the types of fish used for sushi and sashimi? For example, what is Maguro? Click the link to learn more about one of Japan’s most common sushi ingredients.
4. Traditional Japanese Cuisine is a UNESCO-Recognized Cuisine
Did you know that UNESCO recognized Japanese cuisine as an Intangible Cultural Heritage? The official recognition occurred in December 2013. Only two other national cuisines share this title, French and Mexican.
The title refers not only to popular Japanese food. It refers to Washoku, or traditional Japanese cuisine, as a whole. Washoku embodies the following:
- Diversity
- Social solidarity
- Freshness
- Healthy composition
- Seasonality
- A deep connection to annual events
It means that Japan has preserved its traditional way of cooking and eating. Being on the list is a sign that this traditional food creation and consumption is vital to the culture. Once you experience it, you’ll also realize why UNESCO gave washoku the recognition.
5. Salmon Isn’t a Traditional Sushi Ingredient
Japan is one of the best and safest places in the world to eat raw fish. One of the most common types of fish used for modern sushi is salmon or “sake.” However, did you know that salmon isn’t a fish used in traditional sushi dishes?
Until the twentieth century, many people saw wild salmon as unsafe to eat raw. Salmon often came with parasites like herring worms or cod worms. You could get anisakiasis or herring worm disease from these parasites.
If you eat fish that have them, they could attach to the walls of your intestinal tract. Symptoms of anisakiasis include:
- Vomiting
- Nausea
- Abdominal pain
- Diarrhea
- Blood and mucus in stool
- Mild fever
- Allergic reactions
- Abdominal distension
Nowadays, you don’t worry about eating salmon prepared as sushi or sashimi in Japan. Many Japanese restaurants follow strict protocols to ensure high-quality foods. Also, getting these parasites is now rare, thanks to refrigeration and controlled farming.
6. Cherry Blossoms Are Edible
Japan is famous throughout the world for its fragrant and beautiful cherry blossoms. These iconic and magical trees often bloom during springtime or between late March and late April. Japan even holds festivals for viewing and appreciating these soft pink blooms.
The leaves and petals of cherry blossoms are edible. Many traditional Japanese sweets and tea include them as ingredients. These include:
- Sakuramochi
- Sakura manjuu
- Narikiri
- Sakura-flavored candies and chocolates
- Sakurayu or sakura-cha (cherry blossom tea)
Like cherries, cherry blossoms have a sweet and fruity rose flavor. Cherry blossom tea also has some health benefits. Drinking cherry blossom tea promotes smooth and supple skin, whitening, and anti-aging.
These properties are also why skincare products use cherry blossoms as ingredients. Other health benefits include repairs for damaged skin and hyperpigmentation. Cherry Blossoms also has antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.
Learn More About Traditional Japanese Food
Did we inspire or motivate you to search “traditional Japanese food near me” on the internet? We hope you enjoyed increasing your knowledge about traditional Japanese cuisine. Now, you have six new facts about traditional Japanese food to share with your friends.
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