Japanese Cuisine

Clear broth with three cubes of tofu, shitake mushrooms and two rings of scallion green; a few slices of raw fish beautifully garnished and standing alone on a plate; a small dish of pickled cabbage, spare and clean to the palate; this is the uncluttered art of Japanese cooking. Zen Buddhism, Japan's predominant religion, frames Japanese cuisine through Kaisek, the Zen way of cooking, which embraces nature, harmony and restraint. Flavors are celebrated in their simplicity, unencumbered by heavy sauces or complex mixtures. Sashimi, thinly sliced raw fish, epitomizes this. As fish meets tongue, its cool texture and light flavors create a sensuous culinary experience. In order to produce dishes that harmonize with their environment, a meal's primary ingredients are always seasonal and local. Many foods are left raw or only slightly cooked to maintain and highlight their freshness. The spare and elegant presentation of food in many different types of dishware, and the ambiance of a classic Japanese restaurant, all conspire to create an oasis of calm.

As in Korean cooking, rice, fish and pickles provide the base of most meals. The Japanese diet gets the bulk of its protein from soybeans and seafood, and so is perhaps one of the healthiest of national cuisines. Though red meat is a relative newcomer to the cuisine and outrageously expensive, beef, and the more reasonably priced pork, has been integrated creatively into Japanese cuisine.

Compared with the West and other parts of Asia, meals are light and cooked with very little oil. The Japanese eat with chopsticks and drink soup directly from the bowl. A main course, say a grilled fish and a salad is filled out with rice, soup, pickles and tea. The Japanese are very particular about their rice, eating only native born medium- grained rice. However, this standard is becoming harder and harder to maintain as the population increases. Noodles are extremely popular as well, with entire restaurants specializing in them.