Harmonious beauty of Japanese cuisine

Abstract

　A person's food preferences clearly reflect their personality and status.

　Lively green wasabi, firmly formed white sesame tofu, translucent dashi with caramel color, served on elegant tableware, such as a cold plate named "kenzan-utsushi-tatsutagawa-mukozuke" (*1). A lacquered meal tray, as well as rikyubashi chopsticks (*2) with cedar scent from Yoshino district of Nara and a chopstick restraint with an autumn grass pattern.

　The guest room of a Sukiya style structure (*3) is filled with a fresh scent of tatami mats and equipped with a moss garden. The ink painting depicting the landscape by Tessai (*4) is being hung in the alcove of the room. The scent of incense wafts through the air.

　The entrance with an elegant shop curtain is faintly bright and roji the entrance way (*5) is moderately moist. They remind the guests of the way they've been walking here, which includes Eikando Temple covered by red maple leaves which they visited during the day.

　It is crucial to bring out the delicious flavors of ingredients, completing the dishes to their highest standard. At the same time, chefs of Japanese cuisine establishes the best harmony between the dishes and a variety of elements as mentioned above. The aesthetic consciousness that exists in Japanese cuisine creates a harmonious beauty, bringing together flavors and aesthetic elegance. This beauty is what chefs want to portray to their guests above all else; and when this resonates it creates emotion and pleasure.

(*1) kenzan-utsushi-tatsutagawa-mukozuke: A series of small plates, created by Ogata Kenzan, Kyoto-born potter in the 17^th century, featuring the pattern of the flow of a river and a unique plate shape formed by their patterns.

(*2) rikyubashi chopsticks: Devised by Sen no Rikyu, a great master of Way of Tea in the Momoyama era (16^th century), particularly for kaiseki dishes developed based upon the tea ceremony.

(*3) Sukiya style structure: An architectural style of ceremonial tea house.

(*4) Tessai: Kyoto-born literati painter, Tomioka Tessai (1836-1924), well-known for works of magnificent scale, painted with unrestrained brush strokes.

(*5) roji the entrance way: A type of a Japanese garden usually attached to a tea ceremony room.