ICH Courier

apan’s food culture, as in other countries, evolved in different parts of the country in accordance with traditional annual events following the cycle of the seasons. In the course of the last fifty years, however, the society that sustained such events and the environment that nurtured that food culture have undergone such major changes that the survival of these long-established traditions has come into question. In 2013, Japan’s ‘Washoku, traditional dietary cultures of the Japanese, notably for the celebration of New Year,’ was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Japan submitted its request for registration on the list out of a sense of crisis: recognition that if nothing were done, washoku might disappear forever from tables in Japan.
Traditional annual events have long been sustained by local communities. But the bonds that held communities

together have weakened, and especially in the cities it is often impossible to hold festivals and other events once an integral part of the local scene. Even in rural areas, as members of the younger generations decrease in number, it has become difficult to maintain the traditions that punctuate the annual calendar.
The washoku-style meal was once the standard in Japanese households. Basic washoku fare consists of rice, soup, a side dish, and pickles (kō no mono), and the usual menu is made up of one soup and three side dishes along with rice and pickles. However, the nature of the family that supported this style of eating has changed dramatically. Where once all the members of a family would gather at the same time to eat the morning and evening meals, in recent years, it has become increasingly difficult for families to eat together. Mother, father, and children often eat at entirely different times. When husband and wife both work, it can be difficult to take time

to make dashi broth for miso soup, pickle vegetables for kō no mono, or prepare side dishes, leading to more frequent reliance on frozen foods or pre-prepared dishes and impairing the healthy balance of the traditional meal. Today, households where complete washoku meals are served have fallen into the minority.
The Washoku Association of Japan was founded at the time of the addition of washoku to the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity to protect and pass on the culture of washoku cuisine. Setting November 24 as ‘Washoku Day,’ the association continues its efforts to encourage kindergartens, elementary and junior high schools around the country to set aside that day to serve lunches featuring soup made with freshly made dashi broth. In recent years about one third of these schools nationwide cooperate with this program aimed to ensure children are familiar with washoku from a young age.
Continuation of the rich and locally diverse food culture that has accompanied traditional annual events can no longer be assured. Yet even as many other customs fade, the traditions observed at New Year’s and the festive dishes (osechi ryōri) served still enjoy widespread support around the country. Awareness of the kami of Japanese religious belief is especially strong at New Year’s, when it is thought that Toshigami (lit., New Year Deity) visits households to bring happiness for the coming year. The celebration includes the preparation of special decorations such as a large kagami-mochi rice cake festooned as an offering to the deity and a variety of foods for the New Year’s feast.
The kagami-mochi is made with one large and one smaller disk of pounded glutinous rice, generally decorated with a daidai citrus, dried persimmon, or other item signifying celebration. Often, the daidai is chosen for its sound homonymous with the word daidai, meaning ‘continuing one generation after another,’ as it was traditionally paramount for a family line to be carried on by all means. Indeed, all the decorations for New Year’s carry meaning relating to people’s hopes and prayers.
The four seasons of the year are divided into setsu (or sechi),

with special prayer days (sekku) assigned to each, with a sekku day to celebrate each one of these specific seasons. Osechi ryōri is the special fare prepared for the celebration of the New Year’s sekku. On New Year’s morning, all the members of the family gather and the adults celebrate the arrival of the New Year with sips of a special ceremonial sake called toso. Next to be served is a dashi-based soup called zōni, which contains mochi rice cakes. The other ingredients and seasonings of this soup vary from one part of the country to another. An example from the Kanto region, including Tokyo, the broth is flavored with salt and shoyu and the ingredients include toasted blocks of mochi along with chicken, daikon, carrot, and other vegetables.
The dishes served along with the zōni soup were originally simple ones such as vinegared vegetables, kazunoko (herring roe), tazukuri (small dried, sugar and shoyu-seasoned sardines). With the passage of time, however, osechi ryōri has become diverse and elaborate to the point of luxury. Often it includes some ten or more dishes, common among which are sea bream (tai) roasted whole, konbumaki rolls made with kelp, kamaboko fish cakes, and nishime (simmered root vegetables and shiitake mushrooms). With preparation of such a large variety of dishes difficult for most ordinary households today, many now order osechi ryōri sets prepared in advance by popular shops or department stores or purchase separate pre-prepared dishes sold in supermarkets to serve according to family preferences.
The important tradition of celebration of the New Year is that the whole family gathers to celebrate. Eating and drinking together while feasting on the special dishes prepared is a meaningful social custom in Japanese food culture that confirms the unity of the family.