Abstract
The food culture of Shokumotsu Honzo, which was compiled by Kou Ri in the Gen period, was compared with that of Honcho Shokkan, complied by Hitsudai Hitomi in 1697.
Two hundred and forty-three kinds of food were found in common. The numbers of foods appearing in both books were different in every classification group in relation to the food culture of both countries. Fruit, vegetable, poultry and cereal groups appeared extensively in both books, while fishe and snake-/insect groups were less common. This result is believed to be based on differences in the eating habits of both countries. Hitsudai referred to both Bencao Gangmu (Honzo Koumoku) and Syokumotsu Honzo, and described foods according to Japanese eating habits.
Both books described how the cooking method and processing method for each type of food influenced the body, illustrating the characteristics of health care in those days. Shokumotsu Honzo and Honcho Shokkan both applied the traditional idea of “medicine and food having the same roots”.
