Serving Japanese food Who decided?

September 23, 16:16

It's getting cooler and cooler.

Autumn of appetite, the season when you can enjoy seasonal fish and fruits.

This time, we will consider the serving of "Japanese food".

Challenge the problem!

Problem

Choose the correct Japanese food serving.

(Keio Chutobu Junior High School 2016 renamed)

It's a matter of how to arrange rice, miso soup, and grilled fish, simmered dishes, and pickles.

Three patterns are shown.

There are differences in the arrangement of miso soup depending on the region and individual, such as "Miso soup is on the right side of rice in the Kanto region, but on the far left in the Kanto region." I'm listening.

We asked Junichi Ueda, a special full-time professor at the Department of Japanese Food and Culture, Faculty of Letters, Kyoto Prefectural University, who is familiar with the history and culture of Japanese food, about his thoughts on "how to solve this problem."

Why is the rice on the left front?

Mr. Ueda

"Basically, rice is in a fixed position on the left side of the front. There are various theories as to why."

At the official banquets of the aristocrats of the Heian period, a large number of people ate around a large table.

Many dishes were lined up on the table and were not served individually.

After that, in an era when samurai were the center.

Along with this, from the Kamakura period to the Muromachi period, a style called "Meimeizen", in which dishes are placed on each "set", became widespread.

Mr. Ueda says that the way of arranging the vessels of this "Meijizen" still remains.

"Right-handed culture" of samurai society

On top of that, the point I gave was the "certain culture" of the samurai society.

Mr. Ueda

"Reflecting" right-handed culture ". Samurai give top priority to martial arts. It seems that left-handed people were the target of correction when using swords and bows."

If you are right-handed, the hand holding the chopsticks is naturally on the right.

Frequently lift the rice bowl on your left hand.

For this reason, the rice is on the left front side.

The correct answer is ...

So, the entrance exam question option (3) is incorrect.

Which is the remaining (1) or (2), how to arrange the side dishes?

Mr. Ueda

"Boiled potatoes and even pickles, which are small plates, so I hold them in my hand and eat them. After all, they are on the left side."

On the other hand, main dishes such as grilled fish are served on a platter, and it is said that they are on the far right because they do not need to be lifted.

So, the answer was (1) serving.

It is said that the fish are facing left and are conscious of right-handedness.

Mr. Ueda

"I eat fish with my left finger holding my head and with my right chopsticks. Imagine a left-handed person, but it's very difficult."

Changing Japanese food culture

Mr. Ueda

"By the time Japanese food is arranged in this way, various elements of a very long history have been added. It can be said that it is good to know as one of the manners while understanding the history. It shouldn't be. Food is also a culture, so it changes steadily. It's strange that it doesn't change. In other words, I want you to keep in mind that only one manner is not absolute. "

For right-handed people, the general manner of serving Japanese food may be a rational form that pursues ease of eating.

However, Mr. Ueda wants you to enjoy the food culture that changes with the times while understanding the shape of Japanese food served over the long history.

Of course, left-handed people said that they wanted them to be arranged so that they could easily eat them.

I want to enjoy a meal in a way that suits me.

In "Migake, Curiosity!" Of "Weekly Maru-Knowledge News" (broadcast at 9:00 am on Saturday), we will delve into the news every week on the subject of current affairs presented in the entrance examination.

Let's think of "why?" And "in the first place" that you really want to know as a Kamakura caster!

..

On the homepage of the corner, you can also review all the episodes from the first broadcast in April.

Please take a look from the link below!

..

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/special/maruwaka-migake/