UN recognises unpalatable truth: Japan cuisine dying

Only French cooking has been distinguished as a national culinary tradition. Other picks by UNESCO for its World Heritage list,such as food from Mexico and Turkey,are more specific dishes.

Washoku embraces seasonal ingredients,a unique taste,time-consuming preparation and a style of eating steeped in centuries of tradition. At its heart is savoury umami a fundamental taste along with sweet,sour,salty and bitter. Masanori Aoyagi,the commissioner of Japans Cultural Affairs Agency,told the UNESCO committee that washoku gives Japanese a feeling of social cohesion. He said that its low-calorie and healthy,but quipped that it doesnt work in his case,because I always take double portions.

But purists fear that Japanese are turning away from the often time-consuming traditional cooking,as fast food and western cuisine become more popular for its reasonable prices and quick service. People also lead busier lives.

Even as sushi and sake booms worldwide,purists say its finer points are candidates for the endangered list at home. The younger generation is increasingly eating Krispy Kreme doughnuts and McDonalds,not rice.

Annual rice consumption in Japan has fallen 17 per cent over the last 15 years to 779 tonnes from 944 tonnes,according to government data.

As washoku dims in popularity,fears are growing the community ties it historically stood for may also be withering,such as cooking together for New Years and other festivals.

Washoku is always about rice,miso or soy-bean-paste soup,tsukemono pickles,and usually three dishes perhaps a slice of grilled salmon,broth-stewed nimono vegetables and boiled greens. Umami is based on flavour from dried bonito flakes and seaweed,Japans equivalent of stock.

Washoku is also about design. Fancy ceramic and lacquer-ware come in varying sizes,textures and shapes. Food is placed in a decorative fashion,sometimes with inedible items for effect like an autumn leaf.

Kenji Uda,47,the chief chef at Tokyo restaurant Irimoya Bettei,where he makes blowfish sashimi and crab cooked in rice,says he was 17 when he decided to devote his life to washoku. Japanese food is so beautiful to look at, he says. But it takes a lot of time. People are working and busy,and no longer have that kind of time.

The exodus from washoku is apparent at Taiwa Gakuen,a Kyoto-based school for chefs,where the biggest number of students wants to learn Italian cuisine,followed by French,and interest in washoku is growing only among overseas students.

Seiji Tanaka,who heads the school,hopes the UNESCO decision will help draw Japanese people back to tradition. The wa in washoku means harmony, he says. AP