Cool Japan: Umami and cleaning

 ■ Cool Japan: Umami and cleaning

The “Umami” episode from NHK’s Cool Japan

It was only with the discovery of umami receptors on the tongue in the year 2000 that it was scientifically proved that “umami” was a distinct flavor. Now that Japanese cuisine has been registered as intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO, there are probably more people overseas who are interested in knowing more about the secret to creating Japanese flavors. 

The umami of dashi stock and ramen

It is thought that bonito and other fish have been used for dashi stock since the Jomon Period, 16,000 years ago. This transformed into the use of ingredients such as dried bonito flakes. Japanese people to this day are very particular about umami from fish, and will add it to ramen broth, even if it can be made from pork bones or a chicken carcass alone.  

Dried bonito flakes and kelp

In French cuisine, it takes over ten hours of simmering to create fond de veau. However, creating stock with kelp or dried bonito flakes takes at most tens of seconds, or perhaps even instantly. Japanese water is soft, making it easy to create a dashi stock. However, it takes time to create the basis for this stock. Kelp takes several years, while dried bonito flakes take months.

Umami and hospital food

There is a hospital in Osaka which provides salt-reduced food through using umami. The Kansai Region has the richest umami culture. It has deep roots to this day. One doesn’t want to sacrifice flavor even if reducing the amount of salt in food has health benefits. Umami, however, provides a way to widen one’s culinary horizons while remaining healthy. This is something that could be trumpeted to the world.

The delightful theme of this episode is that flavor — which is a culture that has been fostered for over 10,000 years — is something that has not only been recognized around the world, but is also healthy and quite remarkable. 

The “Cleaning” episode

The fact that Japanese people value cleanliness is another part of Cool Japan that has been recognized around the world. Visitors from overseas in the Edo Period invariably commented on Japan’s cleanliness. It is a part of Japan’s living culture. 

Spring cleaning

Spring cleaning at the end of the year is as important a part of preparations to welcome the gods of the new year as decorating the house with pine branches and rice cakes. Perhaps this is a remnant of the idea that it would be rude not to clean everything considering one is welcoming the gods. 

Japanese brooms

Brooms are intimately linked in folklore to gathering in the spirit and dispelling evil.  Even today, cleaning is the first thing done in the morning as part of ascetic practice. Brooms appear in the Kojiki and were used as tools for religious ceremonies in the Nara Period.

Cleaning every day is perhaps influenced by our way of living, whereby we use the same room to do everything — from removing shoes to eating and sleeping. Moreover, perhaps the earthquake has sparked a rethink of our use of energy, with many trying to be more environmentally friendly and conserve electricity. 

Automatic train-wash machines

Combining culture and technology is one characteristic of Japan. The machine that maintains the pristine white livery of the shinkansen bullet train is a result of Japan’s culture of cleanliness and perfectionism combined with cutting-edge technical expertise. This was no doubt something that was refined as a result of Japan having a harsh environment — both in the mountains and at sea — and its humid climate.