Konjac's Monologue. Episode 8: Why did konjac become a food for the common people?

Konjac is not a special food.
It is neither luxurious nor rare.
If you go to a supermarket, it is lined up as a matter of course.

However, if you stop and think about it for a moment, this is quite mysterious.

Originally, konjac was not a food that was found everywhere.
In ancient times, it is believed that it was mainly used in temple shojin ryori (Buddhist vegetarian cuisine) or treated medicinally in some places, and was not the everyday presence it is today.

Over time, it gradually spread to the dining tables of the common people.

There are several reasons behind this change.

First is the "development of preservation and processing technology."

Konjac corms are difficult to preserve as they are, and they take time and effort to handle.
However, as the technology to dry them and turn them into powder spread, long-term storage became possible, and they could be processed when needed.

This is a very big turning point.

Food does not spread just by "existing."
It only takes root in daily life when it is "easy to handle" and "can be supplied stably."

Konjac gradually met those conditions.

Next is "price and ease of availability."

To become a food for the common people, it is essential that it can be obtained without difficulty.
Konjac became relatively inexpensive and stably supplied, and was gradually incorporated into home dining tables.

It went from being something eaten only on special days to an ingredient that could be used in daily life.

This change significantly altered konjac's position.

Furthermore, its compatibility with Japanese cuisine cannot be overlooked.

Seasoning centered on dashi.
A culture of simmering.
A philosophy of bringing out the flavor of the ingredients.

Konjac's properties matched these very well.

It does not assert itself strongly.
But it absorbs flavors well.

It is thought that this characteristic was naturally accepted within Japanese food culture.

The story so far covers relatively easy-to-understand reasons.

However, I think there is another, less visible reason.

That is the "just right sense of distance."

Konjac does not push itself to the front.
It can be a main dish, but it is basically a supporting role.

But if it is not there, it feels a little lacking.

I think this sense of distance is why it was easy to incorporate into daily life.

Foods that assert themselves strongly leave an impression.
But if you eat them every day, you might get a little tired of them.

In that respect, konjac is different.

It is quietly there, and fulfills its role when needed.

This way of being may be one of the reasons it has been accepted for so long.

Furthermore, konjac is also a "food that is difficult to replace."

There are not many ingredients that seem similar but play the exact same role.

This property of "having no substitute" is likely one of the reasons it continues to remain on the dining table.

When you think about it, the term "food for the common people" has a certain warmth to it.

It is not special.
But it is always by your side.

It is not luxurious.
But it is comforting.

Konjac is like a symbol of that.

And even in modern times, that position has not changed much.

Even as new ingredients increase and dietary habits diversify,
konjac remains quietly on the dining table as it always has.

It is not greatly swayed by trends, and it is not flashy.
But it does not disappear either.

This sense of stability is not something easily obtained.

I sometimes think.

Perhaps it is because such things exist that daily life can be peaceful.

Everything does not have to be new every day.
Because there are things that do not change, we can accept change.

Konjac may be playing that kind of role.

That is why it is on the dining table again today, without being particularly noticed.

And before you know it, it is properly fulfilling its role.

I think that is fine.

It does not have to stand out.
But it is certainly there.

Konjac is a food that quietly continues that way of life.

This series is compiled in the magazine "Konjac's Monologue." You will receive notifications of new posts by following. → Click here for the magazine

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