The 'Public Face and Private Reality' Hidden on the Edo Dining Table: The Truth About Meat Consumption Revealed by Wild Boar Terrine | Food x Class #12

“In the Edo period, Japanese people did not eat meat.”

Is that really true?

The other day, I visited a French restaurant. The appetizer served was a beautiful “wild boar terrine.” It was moist, tender, and had a wild yet elegant flavor.

As I savored the first bite, memories of a class on the Edo period suddenly came back to me.

This time, I will unravel the “mystery of Edo cuisine” that begins with a single dish.

1. [Quiz I] Did the people of Edo eat meat?

First, here is a quick quiz. “Did people eat meat during the Edo period?”

① They didn't eat it at all
② Some people ate it in secret
③ They ate it normally, just like today

👉 The answer is...

(Please think about it for a moment)
　　↓
　　↓
　　↓
　　↓
　　↓
👉 ② Some people ate it.

In Edo-period Japan, due to the influence of Buddhism and the belief that cattle and horses used for farming should be cherished, meat consumption was officially “prohibited.”

However, humans are honest creatures.

“I really want to eat meat.”

That desire gave birth to some unique wisdom. The hint for this is depicted in the ukiyo-e of that time.

2. [Quiz II] Evidence of meat consumption depicted in ukiyo-e

“What kind of meat does the ‘mountain whale’ written on the sign in this ukiyo-e represent?”

① Whale
② Bear
③ Wild boar

👉 The answer is...

(Please think about it for a moment)
↓
↓
↓
↓
↓
👉 ③ Boar is correct.

"Yamakujira" (mountain whale) is a term that refers to boar meat. But why "whale"?

At the time, eating fish was permitted. So, people came up with a slightly humorous logic: "This is a whale that lives in the mountains, so it's fine!"

In addition, meats were also given elegant "aliases."

3. [Quiz III] What meat is this name for?

"What meat do the following names represent?"

① Botan (Peony)
② Momiji (Maple)
③ Sakura (Cherry Blossom)

👉 The answer is...

(Please think about it for a moment)
↓
↓
↓
↓
↓

• ① Botan → This is also boar (because the sliced meat resembles a peony flower)

• ② Momiji → Deer (from the association of maple leaves and deer)

• ③ Sakura → Horse (there are various theories, such as the meat being cherry-colored)

Outwardly calling them "medicine" or renaming them after "flowers."

The people of Edo cleverly enjoyed meat while balancing their public stance and private reality.

4. The lingering scent of Edo that lives on today

In Ryogoku, Tokyo, there is a shop that still carries on that history.

"Momonjiya"

A taxidermied boar is still hung at the shop's eaves today. (*The header image is a photo of the Momonjiya sign, used with permission from Minna no Photo Gallery)

Amidst the modern landscape of towering skyscrapers,
it is a scene where time seems to have stood still.

I have walked past this shop several times.

However, each time, I couldn't help but feel:
'Wait, is this place still in the Edo period?'

5. The depth of history seen through food

The act of 'eating meat,' which has become commonplace in modern times.

In fact, it is not the case that Japanese people never ate meat at all.

In ancient times, hunting for animals like wild boar and deer took place, and a culture of eating meat existed.

However, with the spread of Buddhism,
meat from livestock, especially cows and horses,
came to be considered 'something that should not be eaten.'

In other words, the 'culture of not eating meat' was something that strengthened later.

And behind that culture,
religion, social rules, and people's wisdom are deeply involved.

A small journey through history that began with boar terrine.

The resilience of the people of Edo might be something that resonates with us today.

Now, what do you think? In an era when it was said you 'must not eat it,' people changed the names to eat it anyway. Is that cheating, or is it wisdom?

I hope today's story serves as a trigger to remember the fun of social studies. The class that interprets this theme from the 'perspective of junior high school social studies' is delivered exclusively to members. Why not enjoy relearning together in our Saturday night social studies classroom?

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