Abstract
This paper provides an overview of the history of Seimeisai, one of the representative memorial ceremonies for ancestors conducted in Okinawa, Japan, and evaluates the factors that have influenced the changes in festive dishes. In addition, the current status of festive Seimeisai dishes is discussed, and we consider whether the dishes have been inherited from previous generations, based on the results of the Japan Society of Cookery Science's special research survey “Festive and Ceremonial Foods.”
Seimeisai in Okinawa was adopted from China, and was practiced regularly by the 18th century. The main offering at royal graves and in Kume Village originally consisted of usanmi, which followed the Chinese model of sānshēng (i.e. three sacrifices among= pig, chicken, duck, fish, etc.).
However, this dish has recently become adapted as the simple ingredients packed in jubako(tiered lacquer boxes). Furthermore, while the offerings and food used to be homemade, in recent years, pre-made foods have been used as offerings. Therefore, although contemporary young people generally understand the concept of Seimeisai, few have a detailed understanding of the ingredients or knowledge of how to cook it, which raises concern of the transmission of this tradition in the future.
Therefore, there is a need to deepen our awareness of regional traditional events as part of school curricula and in the household, and to become more involved in transmitting the knowledge of festive dishes and the meaning of Seimeisai to future generations. This is particularly relevant in light of current concerns in local communities and families over the continuation of cultural traditions.
