Japanese cuisine aims for official cultural heritage status

Japan’s widely diverse cuisine ranging from sushi to ramen is one step closer to becoming a UNESCO-designated intangible cultural heritage.

Following in the footsteps of a number of other countries who have received recognition for their food, Japan has applied to have its traditional diet also receive the designation.

To date, Spain, Greece, Italy, and Morocco have been recognized for their Mediterranean diet, France for its gastronomic meals, Turkey for its ceremonial Ke?kek tradition, and Mexico for its dishes.

While Japan is still waiting for a final decision about its application, a unit of UNESCO’s decision-making body has more or less given the green light to the approval.

The island nation is not putting forward any one dish for consideration. Instead, the country’s entire culinary culture, which places a strong emphasis on social customs and respect for nature, would be recognized, Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs said.

According to the agency, Japan’s cuisine is characterized by its artistic presentation and its use of distinctive ingredients. Deeply rooted in its respect for nature, the cuisine also has ceremonial aspects to mark seasonal traditions such as New Year’s celebrations, rice-planting and harvest festivals throughout the year, and plays an important role in strengthening relationships within family and local communities.

As none of the Japanese intangible cultural heritage applications that made it to the sub-committee level, such as for kabuki and other types of performance art, have been rejected, the country’s cuisine is essentially a lock to be given that status at a meeting to take place between Dec. 2-7 in Azerbaijan, a spokesperson at Agency for Cultural Affairs said.

Yoshihiro Murata, chairman of The Japanese Culinary Academy, was responsible for spearheading a grassroots campaign to get the government to apply for the status in 2011. His efforts drew support from over 1,500 non-profit groups, corporations, municipalities and local communities across the country.

He said his drive to preserve and raise awareness about Japanese cuisine both in and out of Japan was inspired by South Korea’s unsuccessful application for its royal court cuisine.

Mr. Murata said he thinks that if Japan receives the designation it can be used as a stepping stone to legitimizing and standardizing traditional practices that aren’t paid due respect.

In learning how to become a professional chef under the traditional system, for example, trainees spend years under a master chef starting from cleaning and washing pots and gradually learn through observation and not a systemic course of study.

The designation could also give a shot in the arm to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s bid to double exports of the country’s agricultural products by 2020. Only a small portion of Japan’s agricultural market goes overseas annually but widespread international recognition of the nation’s food could help exports, particularly high-end goods that are seen as encapsulating the intangible nature of Japan’s food.