The Analysis of Food in Japan

            Abstract

            This report aims at analyzing and attempting to break how Japanese food, mainly with the view of rice in Japan has made a type of character in the nation.  Rice in Japan is a form of food which is regarded as the major source of nourishment or strength. The ways of rice consumption are practices, customs ceremonies as well as convictions which surround food nourishment in particular social living and social gatherings. The thing of consuming calorie-free food in Japan is slowly taking over.  The nutrition system in Japan has achieved a dichotomy that is more in regard to getting less.  The strategy of no food consumption and zero take-ups off drinks is taking over the economy slowly. An individual is thus bound to consume fewer calories as they are packed with gyudon forms. This is thus associated with fewer prices and zero intakes of calories. Rice, forms the personality basis for strength Japanese cultural strength. However, the rate of consumption in the recent years has thus decreased due to lifestyle changes.  Rice is chosen as the important motivation in discussing the personality of Japan since it highly connects itself with history, territories as well as social ceremonies in distinct ways which most foods cannot achieve.  To the Japanese individuals, the importance of rice to the existence ways is additionally represented by practices such as rice planting.  The plantation of rice and its development is highly viewed as a symbol of the southeast and eastern parts of Asia where watering of the plants is achieved from rainfall.  In Japan, rice significantly stands out amidst all the focal culinary items in the state in regard to typical and pragmatic nature.  This paper will, therefore, seek to investigate nourishments well as locations into the association with the society of Japan and distinct strategies which are identified with nourishments that are shared by the use of rice as the main point of exchange premium.

            Introduction

In regard to food preparation and the general food consumption, Japan stands as the most passionate and enthusiastic nation in comparison to all other nations and race towards their cuisines (Bestor and Theodore, 2011).  If one happens to question a Japanese individual regarding any recent travel or trip that they were involved in, the answers will generally involve talks about their local meals.  This shows the fact that for the Japanese even a travel beyond their home is mainly motivated by foods.  Food is therefore highly valued in Japan as the individuals adore their cuisines. Food to the Japanese is a form of cultural practice that is beyond just consumption.  For this rationale, most of the towns, cities, as well as restaurants in Japan, are well appreciated and they are ranked at the foremost positions for their domestic specialty whether it is a kind of fish, sweet, sewed, noodle or even tofu. This is crucial in illustrating the food passion in Japan when one can switch on the radio or television at any moment and hold the assurance of catching a food show directly (Bestor and Theodore, 2011). In Japan, careful meticulous and preparation are important Japanese cuisines elements. In Japan, food is termed as a form of art where even the most simple dishes are mainly prepared by individuals who are well trained and holds long-term working experience in food preparation. Rice food in the Japanese culture remains as the major source of nourishment despite the transformation of lifestyle.

            In Japan, rice was at one time traded as a currency in the state. Ice has remained as a staple food in the nation for more than two thousand years. Additionally, rice forms the basis and still accompanies other meals in the nation even in the current existence in Japan.  The Japanese individuals are reminded of the fact that harvesting rice is a form of intensive labor. This shows that they value rice as a nation as it is their basic meal in all years (Bestor and Theodore, 2011).  This is the major reason as to why rice is not wasted in Japan and the remains of rice which are the leftovers are utilized in good ways.  In exemption of sushi other popular foods in Japan include Onigiri which are rice small parcels that are covered in a seaweed that is dried, Donburi which involves meat, simmered meat or vegetables that are served together with rice, rice porridge which is known as Kayu, rice cakes that are pounded known as mocha, rice that is cooked with tea that is green known as Chazuke in the mention of only a few meals.  All these meals have something in common which is rice. This, therefore, supports the fact that rice in japan forms the nourishment basis as it is a kind of cultural practice.  The acknowledgment runs to the various regional expertises of Japanese means that are referred as Meibutsu (Bestor and Theodore, 2011). With their presence, the restaurant shortage in Japan does not even exist as most restaurants are comfortably dedicated to serving local cuisines.

The significance of rice in the state of Japan cannot be evaluated and emphasized adequately. This is mainly because rice is the kind of stable food for the Japanese individuals.  As the stable and nourishment source rice is the traditional spirit source as it is used in the offering sake to their gods as well as the forefathers. Rice, therefore, acts as a form of the cultural element as it connects individuals with the living dead as well as the gods (Bestor and Theodore, 2011). It can thus be termed as a form of cultural practice as it offers both physical and spiritual strength. There is a famous saying that holds that the Japanese individuals can be termed as a rice bowl which is characterized by homogeneity, uniformity as well as their ever growing desire to always stick to one another.  In those old days primarily white rice was preserved and only eaten by individuals who were living in towns and cities.  Japan militarization however exposed conscripts before the occurrence of the world war two from the rural areas to the consumption of white rice which was well appreciated.  However, the white rice shift resulted in the deficiencies of vitamins because the rice is normally polished and is usually free from nutrition.

To the Japanese, the meaning of rice cannot be described with mere love because they believe that it holds more than just love.  This is supported by the fact that they believe that those that farms rice are hardworking individuals who utilize much of their energy in the production and therefore wasting should not be witnessed.  Rice in Japan forms the basis of their social structure and civilization (Bestor and Theodore, 2011). The consumption of rice in Japan rates with more than nine million tons as about more than three quarter individuals in the state consumes rice for lunch, dinner and breakfast. A day that has not involved the cooking of rice cannot be called a day by the Japanese people. In the recent world due to the emergence of different cuisines rice is being consumed in fewer amounts as compared to before. This is mainly because it is normally served with other meals. The rice consumption decrease has thus been motivated by the higher generation of income, a much wider foods kind’s availability and the emerging of fast foods.  Currently, rice consumption as partly is replaced with noodles and bread. Additionally, due to health knowledge increase in diabetes most individuals have substituted rice to other meals.  According to a recent study, a woman who consumes three or even more bowls of rice every day increases the probability of diabetes development by 50% (Bestor and Theodore, 2011).

            Rice significance in Japan is excellent as rice has thus established the Japan society’s embodiment. The evaluation of the food culture in Japan unveils puzzled association that is held by rice which takes major parts of the Japanese expressions as well as social structures based on contemporary and verifiable setting (Hendry, 2008).  This, therefore, sets a conclusion that all the sections of the Japanese conduct begin with the development of rice.  These activities cannot be achieved solemnly without the cooperation of the society.

With this fact family and individual’s worked with togetherness in watering the development.  Since the development of rice was done in almost similar period’s individual were thus forced to work and relies on the efforts of one another. Cultural language in Japan provides important values as well as concepts which are additionally true within the culture of Japan.  The lead of rice as a staple diet is well illustrated within the language of the Japanese nation.  This is depicted with words such as Gohan which is used in reference to cooked rice as well as in regard to a general meal (Hendry, 2008).  The term Gohan utilization within the Japanese language helps in generation of distinct terms which suggests to meals in languages that are comprehensive (Hendry, 2008).

This is thus crucial in portraying a clear demonstration of the challenge experienced by the Japanese individuals as they had to hold the goal at the end of involving a feast without the involvement of rice. In general, rice holds numerous links to distinct sections of the great society of the Japanese for example the sovereign happening before the occurrence of schedule head into a lord’s minister in the history of Japan (Hendry, 2008). Under the religion of Shinto, a heavy part of his growing and famous religion moved around rice items as well as the development of rice like rice cakes as well as rice wines.

            Shifting intersection, as well as separation with distinct societies, has influenced the way of living for the Japanese based on examinations.  Segregation influenced the aggregate self-individuality fortification towards the fact that the presence of impact in the consideration of everything. Between the juncture times with china in 18th AD and in 19th AD westerns incomes the strengthening of identity as especially rice was used as an element of viewing the character.  The excellence state of rice remained high despite the more in which it lost it financial qualities during those periods. Rice s kept as cash by Ohnuki-Tierney as well as virtue fortification via selectiveness. The utilization of rice as a form of trade was crucial in signifying its unimportance to others well it strengthened its connection with the Japanese nation.  To the Japanese, they show the help that was being brought by the rice rather than being just an element of the state as viewed by the rest (Ohnuki-Tierney and Emiko, 1993).

Rice is basically a food that holds different and recorded and social qualities that are merged deeply into the Japanese colossal society and the current pattern of the Japan history.  This, therefore, shows that Japan cannot be termed as a nation whose prior involvements utilized more than 90% of the entire population in the product of rice (Ohnuki-Tierney and Emiko, 1993).  Several measurements which entail family portions rice use also shows that there is a decrease of rice utilization per every family in Japan.  Rice has continuously remained dominant as period’s moves by in the present life.

Based on deals figures it is thus clear that the rice stores still outstands the bread stores as most individuals tend to rise towards rice consumption in comparison to bread.  Between the periods of post, wars rice was dominantly linked to problems of the government and thus provoked a state force that is abnormal.  The ranchers of rice have used the energy of voting to illustrate dismay over the decreases in appropriations in value as well as the transformations proposed in the import of rice. In the state of Japan rice is still a product that is controlled with direction administration through area measure (Ohnuki-Tierney and Emiko, 1993).

            Japan today is the biggest consumer of rural items as well as imports which end to a combined of about thirty billion.  Japan is slightly worried in regard to food reliance in around fifty-three percent of the caloric admission Japanese that is generated from food stuff that is imported. Basically, in Japan rice serves as a cognitive if not actual Japanese staple eating procedure. Rice offers enough in its own development which holds a passion that is critical as well as implications of distinct materials (Ohnuki-Tierney and Emiko, 1993). An additional element that is imperative is the impact of the Japanese main residence which primarily involves a link to an individual’s familial rice which had been formed.  Recent surveys show that actual sympathy towards the lessening number of Japan’s rice ranchers (Ohnuki-Tierney and Emiko, 1993).

From the prior mentioning rice assessment and estimation in the connection of Japanese contemporary is a challenge one (Hendry, 2008).  The impacts of liberation on the rice market turn out to be mutually changing some to evaluate.  The consumers in Japan tend to be trustful and loyal towards their grain and have the tendency of lining in the direction of the stick scraps of rice. This is mainly because their major objective is to ensure that the grains suit their sushi making requests and additional Japanese cooking options.  Japan is currently in the procedure of encountering external weight from multilateral plans but the quality of their grains seems as a sacred thing (Hendry, 2008).

In summary, in consideration of food analysis in Japan, which is nourishments in Japan rice, has emerged to be a major character. Rice holds a personality segment which comprises of thoughts that are self-sustained. Through the general food history in Japan, rice has emerged to be of less financial importance lately.  With the above mentioning, it is thus clear that although rice held a great significance in the history of Japan it still holds great potential and importance in the current Japanese times with slight changes due to lifestyle changes.  Rice is dearly held by the Japanese culture as a cultural practice as well as their way of showing togetherness strength. To the Japanese rice is the major source of strength. The significance of rice as well as the manner in which the Japanese values rice cannot be underrated. Noodles and bread consumption may be on the rise but this may not imply that rice consumption will drop gradually.  This is mainly because rice in the Japanese society is a form of custom practice that cannot be ignored.

 

 

 

 

 

            References

Bestor, Theodore C. 2011. “Cuisine and Identity in Contemporary ,” in Victoria Lyon Bestor and Theodore C. Bestor with Akiko Yamagata (eds.), Routledge Handbook of ese Culture and Society, NY: Routledge, pp. 273-85. [posted to Blackboard]

Hendry, Joy. 2008.  Sharing Our Worlds: An Introduction to Cultural and Social   Anthropology.  2nd edition. NY: New York University Press. [E.g., have a look             in her index under “food” to find ideas relevant to your paper; Hendry, after all, is an expert on .]

Ohnuki-Tierney, Emiko. 1993.  Rice as Self: ese Identities Through Time.  Princeton, NJ: Princeton  Univ. Press.