Japanese Traditional Culture

Chu-chan’s “Go Straight Towards Japanese Traditional Culture” 【Part 4】 The Deciding Factor Behind Japanese Cuisine Becoming a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage

Kondo Chuji = Director of Japan Traditional Culture Testing Association

Photo: Ozoni with regional characteristics. From top left: Aomori, Tokyo, Kyoto, and Kagoshima (Jiji Press Photo)

It has been over 10 years since “Washoku: Traditional Japanese Food Culture" was registered as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) in 2013. It is safe to say that Japanese food is now the most popular cuisine in the world. During this year's Golden Week, restaurants and other establishments around the country were overflowing with foreign tourists looking for authentic Japanese cuisine.

The four elements of "Washoku" that the Japanese government proposed to UNESCO were: 1) Fresh and diverse ingredients and respect for their natural flavors, 2) A healthy diet with excellent nutritional balance, 3) Presentation that expresses the beauty of nature and the changing of the seasons, and 4) Close connection to annual events such as New Year's celebrations. But did you know that there was a dish that was the deciding factor in its registration as an Intangible Cultural Heritage?

In fact, it's not sushi, sashimi, or even tempura. It's “ozōni”. Yes, that classic dish that the whole family eats on New Year's Day has been highly praised as a symbol of Japanese food culture that should be preserved for future generations. This is what Yoshihiro Murata, the third-generation owner of the long-established Kyoto restaurant “Kikunoi," who was the driving force behind the registration, said, so there can be no doubt about it.

After the Pacific War, the everyday eating habits of the Japanese rapidly became Westernized, but even today, ozōni, a dish that uses mochi (rice cakes), which have long been used as an offering to the gods, as its main ingredient, is eaten all over Japan at New Year's. However, even though it is simply called “ozōni," the shape of the mochi, the way the stock is made, the choice of ingredients, and the cooking method all vary greatly from region to region. If you look closely, you'll find an astonishing variety of dishes, with hundreds of different varieties.

In Japan, where one dynasty continued uninterrupted even amid repeated wars, the culture and customs of the capital spread to every corner of the country over the years. In the process, various changes were brought about by the diverse climates and natural features brought about by the country's long and narrow land from north to south and its rich topography of sea, mountains, and villages. This influence was particularly evident in the food culture, which incorporates nature itself in the form of ingredients.

If we're talking about standard home cooking for special occasions, even in America there is roasted turkey served at Thanksgiving and Christmas. However, there is no other celebratory food in the world that is as rich in local color as ozōni. The coexistence of cultural universality and overwhelming diversity within a single country. This is the very characteristic of Japanese cuisine, and ozōni embodies its depth.