How much do you know about the classification of Japanese cuisine?

When it comes to Japanese cuisine, most people might envision sushi and sashimi, which are well-known delicacies. However, the world of Japanese cuisine is far more diverse and rich than this. It is like a river that has flowed for thousands of years, shaped by the erosion of history and the blending of cultures, gradually forming a clear and diverse classification system today. Behind each category of cuisine lies a story of origin closely tied to the times.​

 

 

Raw food holds a significant position in Japanese cuisine. The most representative is "sashimi". Many people mistakenly believe that the origin of sashimi is in line with modern Japanese culinary culture, but in fact, its prototype can be traced back to the Jomon period. At that time, the Japanese lived by hunting and fishing, and in an environment with relatively scarce resources, they directly consumed fresh fish and shellfish to maximize the preservation of the nutrients of the ingredients. However, the early form of raw food did not have much refinement; it merely met the need for sustenance.​

In the Heian period, with the deepening of cultural exchanges with China, the "kame" (meat cut into thin slices) eating method was introduced to Japan. "Kame" was the ancient Chinese term for raw meat slices, mainly consisting of beef and mutton. Japan borrowed this cutting and eating method but combined its abundant fishery resources and replaced the ingredients with various types of sea fish, gradually forming a unique sashimi culture. The Edo period was a crucial period for the development of sashimi, as with the prosperity of cities, there were more restaurants, and chefs began to pay attention to the knife skills and presentation of sashimi. Different fish had their optimal eating parts and cutting methods precisely defined, such as the "daikuni" (large belly), "chikuni" (middle belly), and "shiroshi" (red belly) of tuna, with their flavor differences being accurately captured. Sashimi gradually shifted from daily diet to refined.Sauce Cup And Soy Sauce Bottle cuisine,Plastic Food Tray,Plastic Sushi Container.​

Roasted food, known as "yaki-ji" in Japanese cuisine, has its origin in the most primitive dietary methods in Japan. In the late Jomon period, after humans mastered the use of fire, they began to directly roast the captured prey and fish, and this simple and direct cooking method became an important way for people to obtain heat.​

With the development of time, the cooking techniques of roasted food have also been continuously improving. In the Nara period, influenced by the Chinese Tang Dynasty's culinary culture, people began to use ironware for roasting and learned to apply sauces on the surface of the ingredients to enhance the flavor. In the late Heian period, the noble class began to pursue the refinement of food, and the selection of ingredients for roasted food became more meticulous, and the production process became more complicated. For example, fish meat was cut into specific shapes and threaded on bamboo sticks for roasting, which was the rudimentary form of modern "sashimi skewers". In the Edo period, roasted food gradually became popular among the common people, and street food stalls offered delicacies like grilled mackerel and grilled eel, which were deeply loved by the people and became an important part of the urban culture at that time.