Want to know more about the Japanese archipelago? | Special Exhibition "Washoku" at the National Museum of Nature and Science

For those of us living in Japan, "Washoku" (Japanese cuisine) is an incredibly everyday part of life.
The "Washoku" exhibition currently being held at the National Museum of Nature and Science conveys the essence of Japanese cuisine through the Japanese archipelago and its history.

Everything originates from this Japanese archipelago.

The Japanese archipelago is long from north to south. "Washoku" has been nurtured by the various climates and natural features from the south to the north.
The outstanding "biodiversity" of the Japanese archipelago has played a major role in this.

That diversity directly influences ingredients, and the abundant seasonal ingredients from all over Japan have created distinctive local cuisines.

Furthermore, our characteristics born from this climate and history—meticulous work, ingenuity, an aesthetic sense for beautiful presentation, and a heart that values tradition—have been added, and at times, we have accepted and integrated other elements to shape "Washoku".

Japanese water, perfect for "Washoku"

The foundation of food, "water," is broadly divided into "soft water" and "hard water." This is determined by how much of the "mineral components" in the water, such as calcium and magnesium, are contained. Japanese water is generally "soft water," which has a low amount of these minerals.

The topography of Japan has a major influence on this. Because steep mountains and valleys are distributed throughout and there is high rainfall, rainwater flows in large quantities and quickly, making it difficult to absorb calcium and other minerals from the strata.
Another factor is that there are few minerals that become these components in Japan's geological strata.

Dashi (soup stock) is essential for Washoku, and "soft water" extracts this dashi well. "Hard water" has "mineral components" that get in the way, making it difficult for dashi components to dissolve in the water, and furthermore, the dashi components bind together to form scum.

Also, "soft water" is suitable for enjoying the taste of Japanese tea, while "hard water" with high hardness is suitable for black tea and Chinese tea, where you enjoy the aroma.
It is clear that the "water" created by topography and weather is deeply involved in the food of each region.

Rice and Japanese ingredients

▮ What is indispensable for Washoku is, above all, "rice." The reason it spread rapidly nationwide after rice cultivation was introduced in the Yayoi period was because it was more nutritious and delicious than anything before it.

Along with that "rice," the foundation of Washoku is "beans," which are the basis for tofu, natto, miso, and soy sauce.
As people in the past said, "If you have rice and miso, you can survive," "rice" and "beans" are indispensable to the Japanese dining table.

I am aware that the consumption of "rice" is decreasing, but that also leads to the decline of Japanese ingredients.

Minerals flowing from rice paddies nourish coastal seafood, and migratory fish like large tuna that eat them gather in nearby waters.

When rice paddies decrease due to moving away from rice, that cycle is disrupted, and seafood decreases.
Also, the consumption of "soybeans," which are a companion to "rice," is decreasing, and there is a possibility of falling into a negative chain where the use of Japanese ingredients related to them also decreases.

▮ Most of the "vegetables" we eat have their origins overseas.
Among them, the "daikon radish" is said to have arrived earliest, in the Yayoi period. In Japan, there are 800 varieties, the most in the world.

The reason so many varieties were born is that the climate and soil in various parts of Japan are diverse.
Traditional vegetables remaining in various regions take time and effort and are not suitable for mass production; in the case of "daikon," most of what is distributed nationwide is the Aokubi daikon, which is easy to produce and eat.

▮ "Seaweed" appears on the Japanese dining table almost every day, but this is unique to Japan.
Countries that use "seaweed" as an ingredient are limited to East Asia, South America, Hawaii, etc., where only a few types are eaten.
As it is said that only Japanese people have the intestinal bacteria that can digest seaweed and turn it into nutrition, more than 30 types of seaweed have been eaten in various parts of Japan since ancient times.

Among them, "kombu" (kelp) is said to have been used in cooking in the Nara period, and according to the Shoku Nihongi, it had the same value as gold.
* Shoku Nihongi is a history book from the early Heian period that follows the Nihon Shoki.

The beginning of "Washoku" is Jomon food

While the use of "rice," the staple of "Washoku" (Japanese cuisine), dates back to the Yayoi period, it is evident that even before that, in the Jomon period, a lifestyle style of coexisting with nature had already been established, such as combining ingredients available in each region according to the season.

This is what is called the "Jomon Calendar," which represents the annual activities of the Jomon people.
Based on animal bones, shells, and carbonized seeds found in shell mounds, it is believed that these animals and plants were used as food ingredients.
At the Sakiyama Shell Mound (Iwate Prefecture) and the Higashimyo Shell Mound (Saga Prefecture), it is clear that animals and plants hunted and gathered in each respective region were consumed in a well-balanced manner.

"Washoku" is our identity

Since "Washoku: Traditional Dietary Cultures of the Japanese" was registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2013, it has now gained attention all over the world, and along with that, aspects that are changing uniquely can also be seen.

"Knowing the biodiversity unique to the Japanese archipelago and the culture created by this climate will continue to be the identity of us who live in Japan."

It was an exhibition that made the sound of the word "Washoku" feel much larger and deeper.

Reference Books
Special Exhibition "Washoku" Official Guidebook

Thank you for reading until the end.