Characteristics of Japanese food culture as viewed from traditional fish dishes

Abstract

　Japanese food culture is characterized by a large number of fish dishes and the use of seasonal ingredients. The Japanese archipelago is surrounded by warm or cold currents depending on the season, which affects which species of fish travel near land and are caught. Although the highest-profile method of Japanese fish preparation is to eat it raw as sashimi or sushi, fish can be prepared variously through grilling, boiling, pickling, frying, simmering in soup, or mincing. Fish to be heated is cooked with fermented seasonings such as miso, soy sauce, sake lees and vinegar. Because of the warm and humid weather in summer, since ancient times, fish have been preserved through pickling rather than drying. When fish is cooked or processed, umami compounds are generated in the meat, improving the taste. However, beyond the meat, the skin, bones, and internal organs can be cooked and eaten as well. There is scientific basis behind each of these traditional cooking methods, and the continuation of these dietary habits constitutes the food culture of Japan.