Some research into how Shinto and Buddhism values influence the modern day dining etiquette/behaviors in Japan.
Just need to connect some things together.
Also looked at some traditional art styles that could be incorporated to tell the story.
Just need to connect some things together.
Also looked at some traditional art styles that could be incorporated to tell the story.
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notes
notes
For the Japanese enthusiast going
overseas to Japan.
Create empathy in etiquette and
festival food through the story of Japan’s religion and
values.
A social activity as a
representation of how dining etiquette is used today.
A guidelines to better Japanese
etiquette.
Book that guides the user through the philosophical
context that has influenced modern Japanese etiquette.
How Buddhism and Shinto has
influenced dining etiquette.
Festival food.
http://sacartonne.over-blog.com/2016/06/kirigami-gratuit-fete-des-peres.html
http://sacartonne.over-blog.com/2016/06/kirigami-gratuit-fete-des-peres.html
Style: historical vibe/ zen feel
-illustrations plus some sourced
photography
-old meets new- Japan incorporates both
new and old
Must have a Japanese essence
book design
-traditional look to the book and binding (accordian style- Japanese screens)
-zen or balanced feeling
-wabi sabi? imprefections are okay
-compositions: embracing white space, a zen feeling, harmony
possible themes
Old vs. New
Must have a Japanese essence
book design
-traditional look to the book and binding (accordian style- Japanese screens)
-zen or balanced feeling
-wabi sabi? imprefections are okay
-compositions: embracing white space, a zen feeling, harmony
possible themes
Old vs. New
traditional style
earthy/nature
where to next:
-Prototypes of origami to plan where the text etc. will go
-Planning the book and sequence of content, what content to include?
-Images for the book!
-Choose binding style- make a dummy book
Aim is to recreate a Japanese dining experience using origami paper craft. Provide a simple way for students to visualize dining in japan. This will be accompanied by simple tips on dining etiquette for what to avoid doing. The book will capture the essence of dining in japan that explains everything in a simple and easy to understand way. Guides in the market right now are heavily text based. Our guide should condense the text to its simplest form accompanied by cool imagery (maybe some photos and some illustrations). A visual representation that captures the traditional aspects of Japanese dining etiquette and aesthetic.
earthy/nature
where to next:
-Prototypes of origami to plan where the text etc. will go
-Planning the book and sequence of content, what content to include?
-Images for the book!
-Choose binding style- make a dummy book
Aim is to recreate a Japanese dining experience using origami paper craft. Provide a simple way for students to visualize dining in japan. This will be accompanied by simple tips on dining etiquette for what to avoid doing. The book will capture the essence of dining in japan that explains everything in a simple and easy to understand way. Guides in the market right now are heavily text based. Our guide should condense the text to its simplest form accompanied by cool imagery (maybe some photos and some illustrations). A visual representation that captures the traditional aspects of Japanese dining etiquette and aesthetic.
Wasting
food:
-Pouring
soy sauce on rice or dripping
to pour an excessive amount of soy sauce into the small
dish is considered greedy and wasteful (mottainai).
-Buddhist
tradition
Kaiseki:
-table
setting used nowadays
-from
tea ceremonies
-zen
Buddhism
Chopsticks:
-sacred
bridge to the gods
-missuse
of chopsticks is a disrespect to the gods
-considered
like eating with the gods
-hygeine--
Shinto
mismatched chopsticks:
-funeral chopsticks
-must not be used when eating
-buddhism
Manners:
Itadakimasu,
gotchisousama
-buddhism
belief/Shinto
Eating
all food:
-Buddhism
Lifting
bowl above your head:
-Symbolizes
offering to gods- story--- used when receiving food from the gods or someone higher up than them
-Buddhism
Drinking:
-pouring for others first
-elders first
-shinto-buddhism
Slurping:
-enjoying
the meal
-comes
from the tea ceremonies - zen Buddhism
Oshibori
Oshibori is a hot, steamed hand towel that restaurants provide before a meal for customers to clean their hands. You must only use this towel to wipe your hands though! Don’t use it to wipe your face or anywhere else. Once you’ve finished using it, neatly refold it and place it on the table beside you; don’t just scrunch it up and throw it anywhere.
Tips
Oshibori is a hot, steamed hand towel that restaurants provide before a meal for customers to clean their hands. You must only use this towel to wipe your hands though! Don’t use it to wipe your face or anywhere else. Once you’ve finished using it, neatly refold it and place it on the table beside you; don’t just scrunch it up and throw it anywhere.
Tips
-------------
Overview
Present an overview of Shinto’s and
Buddhism’s influence on the Japan and its people. Give insight to the things in Japanese dining etiquette that might be puzzling
to someone who did not grow up in a Shinto-based or Buddhist culture (Japanese Environment). Present Dining etiquette in a way that can be understood easily for those who aren't familiar with Japanese dining etiquette already. Elevate interest in Japanese Dining and build a social experience for students who are intending on going to Japan. It is a celebration of the craft of Japanese dining etiquette and how Buddhism and Shinto has crafted the Japanese dining etiquette. The origami is a symbolic representation of etiquette as a craft. Origami also was historically introduced through Buddhists bringing paper to japan. It has since been incorporated in some celebratory rituals and become known as a Japanese craft.
Dining etiquette is very ceremonial and festive. The taboos come from both their ceremonial rituals and festivals. Many parts of Japanese culture draw its origins from the influence of the native rituals of Buddhism and Shinto. Although not everyone is highly religious in Japan, the influences of these rituals still remain within how Japanese people dine. The book will explore the concept of dining in Japan by delving into the connections to its traditional rituals through Buddhism and Shinto, and examining its relevance in the modern world.
Japanese people take pride in the appearance of food, the colour, taste etc.
Dining etiquette is very ceremonial and festive. The taboos come from both their ceremonial rituals and festivals. Many parts of Japanese culture draw its origins from the influence of the native rituals of Buddhism and Shinto. Although not everyone is highly religious in Japan, the influences of these rituals still remain within how Japanese people dine. The book will explore the concept of dining in Japan by delving into the connections to its traditional rituals through Buddhism and Shinto, and examining its relevance in the modern world.
Japanese people take pride in the appearance of food, the colour, taste etc.
Shinto=shrines
Buddhist=temples
Shinto Shrines
Before you enter a Shinto shrine you will
see the Tori archways. Shinto shrines focus their purpose on honoring the
kamisama or gods. Before praying in the shrine, it is expected that the person
clap twice. There are usually guardian animals which guard the entrances of the
shrines such as dogs or foxes.
There are usually purification fountains
near the shrine’s entrance, where you take one of the ladles, fill it with the
water in the fountain and rinse both your hands. After that rinse your mouth
with water cupped in your hands before spitting it out beside the fountain.
Water must not be transferred directly from the ladle into your mouth or
swallowed.
Buddhist Temples
Some temples have large incense burners
for visitors to burn incense (osenko). The incense can be purchased and lit. It
should burn for a few seconds and then extinguished by waving your hand rather
than by blowing it out. The final step is to put the incense into the incense
burner and fan some smoke towards yourself. The smoke is considered to have
healing powers. If you have an injured shoulder you could fan some smoke
towards that shoulder.
Types of religion
Zen
Zen Buddhism focusses its beliefs on life experience and daily meditation rather than the study of knowledge and religious texts. A fundamental practice of Zen is Zazen which is a seated meditation. Zazen uses the posture of Buddha that is said to achieve enlightenment, mindfulness and concentration.
The other positions are lotus, half lotus, burnese or seiza. A person’s posture and breathing is important in this practice. Usually, a cushion (zafu) is placed on a padded mat (zabuton) to sit on. Sometimes, a chair can be used.
There are some unconventional techniques used in Zen which may shock some people. For example, they have the loud belly shout called katsu. It is also common for Zen masters to carry a stick with them. This is a symbol of their authority and can be used to scold those who are out of line.
Many types of etiquette are influenced by Zen Buddhism such as the tea ceremony and sumi-e artwork among other practices.
Buddhism
Most Japanese homes maintain Buddhist altars for Buddhist ceremonies
and many also have Shinto shrines. When a death occurs the Shinto shrine is
closed and covered with white paper to keep out the impure spirits of the dead.
A small table decorated with flowers, incense and a candle are placed next to
the deceased.
The relatives of the
deceased pick the bones out of the ashes and transfer them to the urn using
large chopsticks. Two relatives hold the same bone at the same time with their
chopsticks or pass the bones from chopsticks to chopsticks. This is known as
askotsuage. This is the only time it is acceptable in Japan for two people to
pass and hold an object together using chopsticks. Using this gesture outside a
funeral is seen as a taboo because it reminds bystanders of a funeral of a
close relative.
The bones of the feet
are picked up first and the bones of the head are picked up last, to ensure
that the deceased is not upside down in the urn.
Chopsticks:
Chopsticks are an important part of the material culture of
Japan’s religion. In japan, chopsticks are connected with the folklore of
Shinto and the worshiping of gods as wells as funeral riturals.
Modern chopsticks are believed to be developed from tweezer-like
utensils made of iron (kanabasami). These utensils were part of the items
offered to the gods (kami) along with items such as sake in rituals. They
believed that if the chopsticks were offered to the gods then its spirit would
inhabit them which would allow humans to dine with them.
Chopsticks were among the items, like sake, offered to kami or gods in ceremonial rituals. The belief was that when chopsticks were offered to a
kami, its spirit inhabited the chopsticks, allowing it to dine with the humans.
The offered chopsticks were thought to be ryokuchi-bashi which are two sticks
of white wood heavy in the center and tapered at both ends. The wood that is
usually used to construct ryokuchi-bashi is willow. An ancient belief states
that willow is thought to have resistance to evil spirits and impurities.
Willow is also considered lucky because its leaves develop earlier than in
spring than the other trees.
These chopsticks are to this day, used in weddings, new
years celebrations and other important festivals and feasts. Through these
traditional beliefs we see that chopsticks is seen as a bridge which connects
gods and humans. The word for chopsticks is hashi 箸) which means bridge. The
belief of the bridge between humans and gods by feeding food to the gods explains
why the chopsticks used in Japanese ceremonies. The Chopsticks have tapered
ends on both sides (unlike Chinese chopsticks which are the same thickness as a
whole) because one end is for the gods and one is for the humans.
These rituals have an influence on common food culture. In
funerals the people are given mismatched chopsticks to be use to transfer the
bones of the deceased to the urn. It is a taboo in dining etiquette to eat with
mismatched chopsticks because it reminds the bystanders of a loved one who has
passed away. Other taboos that relate to funerals are passing food from
directly from one person’s chopsticks to another’s as it resembles the bones
passed between the guests in funerals. Another one is sticking chopsticks
vertically in a bowl of rice which resembles the incense offerings at the Buddhist
funerals or the way that a departed family member’s personal pair of chopsticks
is stuck in a bowl of uncooked rice placed at the family altar as an offering.
Proper chopstick etiquette is important in Japanese culture
as the misuse of chopsticks is seen as quite offensive due to its significance
in Japan’s religion and culture. In misusing chopsticks as stated above, it is
an act of bridging the world of the living and the dead.
Wooden chopsticks that can be thrown away after one use is a
way of honoring Shinto.
Shinto belief maintains that hashi (chopsticks), are a
sacred bridge between humans and the gods. Thus, in Shinto ceremonies of birth,
marriage and death they play a special symbolic role. Moreover, the Shinto
faith is heavily laden with the themes of purity and renewal, which are evident
in every crack of virgin waribashi.
In China, chopsticks are often treated just as cutlery like
the west and large amounts of chopsticks are kept for general use in each
house. However, in Japan, each member in the house usually has their own pair
of chopsticks and rice bowl which is used by them only. Chopsticks revolve
around the notions of privacy, pollution and purity as an aspect of Shinto.
Where the chopsticks are acting as bridges between worlds. In saying this it
makes sense that sharing chopsticks would in Japanese content be exposing
yourself to pollution. By having your own chopsticks you can monitor your own
purity.
The history of Buddhism in Japan can be seen through the development of different strands of the religion. Zen Buddhism developed in Japan and corresponds to the Chinese strand, Chan Buddhism. It focuses on the individual’s journey to enlightenment, and it observes everyday life with great detail. When Buddhism was introduced into Japan, it had to contend with the beliefs and traditions that were already in place. But because Buddhism is centered on the individual’s path to enlightenment rather than on a deity, it was able to blend and coexist with other traditions. As the Japanese people adopted Buddhism, different branches developed which concentrated on specific aspects of the religion. One of these groups was Zen Buddhism.
The basic idea of Zen is to get in touch with the inner workings of
the self in the most direct way.7 Zen does not worship any images, not even
the Buddha. Followers are not taught to meditate and concentrate on any
one thing. Thoughts should be fixed on nothing.8 Zen aims to achieve an
inner spiritual experience and believes in the inner purity of man
When tea was brought to Japan by Zen monks, they used it to stay awake during long meditations. Zen teachings emphasize that everyone can achieve enlightenment, but mundane thoughts stifle it. They believe that enlightenment can be found in the midst of everyday activities. Drinking tea therefore was like a kind of “meditation in action.”
When tea was brought to Japan by Zen monks, they used it to stay awake during long meditations. Zen teachings emphasize that everyone can achieve enlightenment, but mundane thoughts stifle it. They believe that enlightenment can be found in the midst of everyday activities. Drinking tea therefore was like a kind of “meditation in action.”
https://www.lagrange.edu/resources/pdf/citations/2011/01_Penrod_Art.pdf
The Japanese tea ceremony developed as a "transformative practice", and began to evolve its own aesthetic, in particular that of "sabi" and "wabi" principles. "Wabi" represents the inner, or spiritual, experiences of human lives. Its original meaning indicated quiet or sober refinement, or subdued taste "characterized by humility, restraint, simplicity, naturalism, profundity, imperfection, and asymmetry" and "emphasizes simple, unadorned objects and architectural space, and celebrates the mellow beauty that time and care impart to materials."[9]"Sabi," on the other hand, represents the outer, or material side of life. Originally, it meant "worn," "weathered," or "decayed." Particularly among the nobility, understanding emptiness was considered the most effective means to spiritual awakening, while embracing imperfection was honoured as a healthy reminder to cherish our unpolished selves, here and now, just as we are - the first step to "satori" or enlightenment.
Murata Jukō is known in chanoyu history as an early developer of tea ceremony as a spiritual practice. He studied Zen under the monk Ikkyū, who revitalized Zen in the 15th century, and this is considered to have influenced his concept of chanoyu.[11] By the 16th century, tea drinking had spread to all levels of society in Japan.
At all times during a tea ceremony the rule is to be as
quiet and as tranquil as possible, totally at peace with yourself in the world.
In nature trees, rocks, mountains, water and so on have
spirits. It is believed that people must remain on good terms with these
spirits to prevent evil and destructive things from happening.
drinking:
slurping:
utensils:
drinking:
Once the tea is ready, the host bows and places the tea
bowl before each guest. The guest bows back, turns the bowl slightly as a
sign of respect, and finishes the tea in 3 1⁄2 sips.23 Once all have finished their
tea, the ceremony comes to an end.
The Japanese applied all three aspects of tea when it was introduced into their culture: medicinal, social, and devotional. The tea ceremony mainly appeals to the social and devotional sides of tea. The emphasis of the ceremony is on “natural, serene, purposeless human activity.”
The Japanese applied all three aspects of tea when it was introduced into their culture: medicinal, social, and devotional. The tea ceremony mainly appeals to the social and devotional sides of tea. The emphasis of the ceremony is on “natural, serene, purposeless human activity.”
slurping:
utensils:
The ceremony utensils are given great importance. Each utensil, the water
pot, the kettle, the bamboo spoon, the whisk, and the tea bowl are related
to tea and are highly prized. The instruments are not chosen for their utility,
but for their simplicity and natural beauty. They are works of art that are
collected for their aesthetic and historical value.19 Vessels that are misshapen
or that evoke nature are favored by tea masters. They are an expression of
the Japanese philosophical and aesthetic principles, wabi and sabi.
Festivals (food with some etiquette relating to religion):
Until the last decades of the nineteenth century, Japan’s
economy was based on agriculture and depended on the success of seasonal
harvests. Therefore, on the cooperation of these natural spirits.
Religious rituals became important traditions year round to
ensure the spirits’ goodwill, inviting the appropriate deities to come down
from heaven so the people could pray to them directly.
Matsuri to help ward off diseases and other calamities also
became common. Some festivals were meant to show fertility and other festivals
were designed to bring peace to the spirits and physical things.
New year
Fire and water festivals are common in January.
The Shinto religion puts emphasis on the renewal of time (for purification).
There are a lot of firsts celebrated in the new year.
January 1st:
Hatsumode or hatsumairi (first prayer visit).
People visit their local Shinto shrine or Buddhist temple early in the morning.
The women and girls usually wear kimono.
January 2nd:
Kakizome. First writing of calligraphy for the
year.
January 4th: Goyo Hajime (first business).
Local shops are open. Special foods are eaten such as O-toso (sweet sake
flavoured with cassia bark, herbs and spices) and mocha (sticky rice cake) or
o-zoni vegetable broth.
Mochi (Japanese: 餅, もち) is a Japanese rice cake made of short-grain
japonica glutinarious rice (mochigome). The rice is made into a paste and
molded to the desired shape. Traditionally mocha is made in a ceremony called
mochitsuki. Mochi can be eaten every year as it is a traditional food for
Japanese New year and a food which is commonly sold and eaten during that time.
The
first mochisuki ceremony was said to have occurred after the kami (gods) left
earth during the birth of rice cultivation. Rice was originally used to make mochi.
At that time mocha was eaten by all the royals due to its status and that it
was a omen for good fortune. During the Japanese Heian period mocha was stated
as the ‘food of the gods’ and was used as offerings in Shinto rituals.
Hina Matsuri
March 3rd:
Hina Matsuri is a doll festival. The dolls are
clothed in ancient formal costumes. In some areas the festival maintains its
original purpose of exorcism. The dolls are loaded up in boats and sent out to
sea with the people praying that the bad luck, impurities and evil spirits are
transferred from their girls to the dolls which are floating away.
Special foods that are eaten at this time are
hishi-mochi (diamond shaped rice cakes), shiro-zake (ground rice and sweet
sake) and sekihan (rice boiled with red beans).
Hishi mocha is a symbolic sweet associated with
hinamatsuri. The sweet is a rhomboid which has three layers of red or pink,
white and greenmochi from top to bottom. Sometimes the red may be changed to
yellow or the layers may increase to five or seven layers depending on the
region instead. This food is usually presented with the dolls.
The shape of this food is said to have
originated from the edo period. Its shape symbolizes fertility. The red color
of the mocha was from the fruits of gardenia jasminoides and symbolizes plum
flowers. The white is from the water caltrop and is symbolic of snow and its
cleansing powers. Lastly the green is from Gnaphallium affine or mugwort and is
thought to have restoration powers that improve the blood.
Shinto
Shinto is the religion that is native to Japan. It involves the worshiping of kami (gods) or spirits. Some of the kami may be local and are the spirit of the particular place but there are also others that are more popular and important such as Amaterasu, the sun goddess.
The word Shinto also has meaning. “Shin” means gods or spirits and “to” means a way or path. The translation of the word Shinto is “the way of the gods”.
Shinto is focused on the belief in the supernatural powers of the universe. It emphasizes fitting in to this world instead of preparing for the next world. It focuses on rituals and observance rather than faith. There are no fixed books, person or prayers that dictate the teachings of Shinto. Instead, Shinto is on whole a set of rituals and methods that are meant to help spirits and humans be on good terms.
The main theme in Shinto is love and a deep respect for the natural environment and its processes. For example a waterfall might be considered a spirit of that place or even other abstract things such as growth. Some sacred artifacts may have special ropes or paper strips attached.
The worshiping of the kami is done at the shrines (jinja). Shrines commonly have tori gates out the front. The tori gates symbolize the gateway between the living and the spirit worlds. At the entrance there are also two guardian animals that protect the shrine.
Shrines may contain offerings of food or sake which are often place in front of a symbol of the god (white paper or mirror). Most people toss a coin in the box, sound the gong a couple of times, bow deeply twice , clap their hands twice , bow once deeply then lightly and then back away politely to avoid turning their back to the shrine.
The beliefs of Shinto and the ways of thinking have influenced Japan’s society historically and to this modern day. Many types of etiquette have the origins either directly or indirectly rooted from Shinto. For example the Japanese custom of eating with wooden chopsticks.
Rituals of purification within Shinto
Misogi:
Misogi means purification. Purification by water is an important part of Shinto. This is done daily by those who practice this religion. There are also some sets of prayers and activities that occur during this ritual done at the shrine.
The basic performance is to wash your hands and mouth with the clean water in the fountains at the entrances of the shrines. For more dedicated believers the ritural can also be performed beneath a waterfall or in a river. This practice is influenced by the history of Shinto when the god Izanagi no Mikoto first performed this ritual of purification, after he was impure by Izanami no Mikoto after her death.
Imi:
Another form of the ritual of cleanliness is avoidance. There are taboos on either people or how they act. For example if a family member had recently died in the family that person would not visit a shrine. When someone is doing something that might harm the environment or living things then rituals or actions are performed to prevent the gods from being angry. This is a type of cleanliness that is to prevent bad outcomes.
Harae:
Riturals done daily at the shrines are food offerings and prayers. Examples of offerings are Shinsen (food offerings of fruit, fish, and vegetables). Tamaguishi ( sakaki tree branches), Shio (salt), Gohan (rice), Mochi (rice cakes), and sake (rice wine). On other special holidays there are special offerings that may also be made.
Shinto in modern day:
Many aspects of Shinto are common in modern Japan. There are ubiquitous stone idols scattered and seen in every town. These go unnoticed as religious objects by many Japanese people. Many Japanese see the participation in ceremonies, worship of idols in shrines and temples as essential etiquette in society rather than religion. The practices of Shinto are widely seen as a tradition to honor their family and country.
Etiquette in tea ceremonies and how it affects today’s
dining
The tea ceremonies have influenced dietary culture in Japan.
One being the importance of Japanese cuisine conveying a sense of season,
including the prominent placement on the table of certain seasonal foods. There
are subtle changes in the aesthetics of a tea ceremony as ceremonies held in
January require a different interior design than those in February or December.
These ceremonies are performed with different utensils, bowls and plates.
The Zen style philosophy has had a huge influence on
cuisine. Not supporting anything that is excessively artificial or perfect, avoiding
design with symmetry that does not occur naturally. This approach discovers the
beauty of the incomplete and the balance is uneven.
Zen painting leaves blank white spaces where one may look on
to an emptiness which is unpaintable, unlike the western tradition in which the
entire canvas is painted over.
The etiquette of the tea ceremony has had a substantial
influence on dining etiquette nowadays.
washoku
kaiseki (table setting style- need to edit in own words):
Kaiseki Ryori is a way of preparing main course dishes in japan. Symmetry is avoided and the food is arrayed with the awareness of the beauty of empty space. These principles have survived to this day in the basics of Japanese cuisine. Kaiseki Ryori was influenced by the etiquette used in tea ceremonies.
During the medieval times all tableware was wooden. The
crudest bowls and plates were unlaquered, but
the common people often used roughly lacquered pottery, fired to firmness
without any glaze. The sake cups , plates and bowls used at official dinners
were soft reddish-brown earthenware which had been fired at low temperature.
This earthenware tended to be of the crudest and cheapest sort, and would be
thrown away after a single use. That custom was adopted from the procedures of
Shinto festival rites, where all vessels used are freshly made for the occasion
and discarded afterward. In Shinto observance the practice serves to avoid
contamination by the evil spirits and to ensure that only pure objects are used
by the gods.
Modern kaiseki draws on a number of traditional Japanese haute cuisines, notably the following four traditions: imperial court cuisine (有職料理 yūsoku ryōri?), from the 9th century in the Heian period; Buddhist cuisine of temples(精進料理 shōjin ryōri?), from the 12th century in the Kamakura period; samurai cuisine of warrior households (本膳料理 honzen ryōri?), from the 14th century in the Muromachi period; and tea ceremony cuisine (茶懐石 cha kaiseki?), from the 15th century in the Higashiyama period of the Muromachi period. All of these individual cuisines were formalized and developed over time, and continue in some form to the present day, but have also been incorporated into kaiseki cuisine. Different chefs weight these differently – court and samurai cuisine are more ornate, while temple and tea ceremony cuisine are more restrained.
Manners (need to edit in own words):
In Japan, people say, “Itadakimasu” before they
eat. This is taught as a table manner since they are small. At nursery schools,
kids even sing a Obento no uta (お弁当の歌/ Obento song) together and say Itadakimasu. It´s
a bad manner to start without waiting everyone to have the food and
saying itadakimasu.
Itadakimasu in kanji is 頂きます. The kanji 頂 means
“top" and is often used for the top of the mountain. When ancient
Japanese people ate the food they gave the god as an offering or when they
received something from someone who had a higher position, they would first
bring it up to 頂,
above the head to show the appreciation and the respect. From this custom, the
verb, Itadaku (頂く) is used as the Kenjogo (謙譲語/one
of the formal form to show the modesty) oftaberu (食べる/ eat)
and morau (もらう/ receive). And later, itadakimasu stayed as a
table manner.
This way of itadaku still remains in some
occasions in the modern Japan. At the graduation ceremony. when Japanese
students receive the certificate, they low the head so that the certificate
rises above the head.
Saying Itadakimasu has two meanings.
One is to appreciate all the people who involved in the
meal. The person who served you the meal, who grew the vegetables, who fished
and of course who cooked for you.
The other meaning is to appreciate the ingredients. Japanese
people always believe that even vegetables and fruits have a life as well as
the meat and the fish. By saying itadakimasu, show the appreciation
of, “I receive your life and it becomes my life”. This seems to be the real
meaning.
There is no deep meaning for saying it together but by
saying it together, it means more, “Let´s eat!”. Also to teach small children,
it´s easier if everyone does it. But the important thing is, to appreciate the
food you will have including all the people and the food that involved in each
meal.
This custom is disappearing as the life style of Japanese
people has changed. The father comes home late and the children go to a cram
school. It´s getting harder to get all the family together at a dinner table.
But I think this is a good custom no matter if you are a religious or not. I
hope it doesn´t extinct from Japanese families.
Gochisosama & Itadakimasu
The etiquette of “Itadakimasu!”
Literally meaning “I will humbly accept it,” this phrase is meant for those involved with making the meal happen, i.e. farmers, fishermen etc. plus your mum (or dad or whoever prepared your meal). Not to mention, it thanks those who have sacrificed themselves to become the meal itself – animals, plants and everything soon going into your mouth. It’s quite like saying grace for religious purposes, in a way, except with the Japanese phrase you thank not only god, but basically everything that tops your plate. (Some will also clasp their hands together, sometimes holding the chopsticks with their thumbs, with eyes closed, while saying the phrase.)
Also said before consuming a meal, the common etiquette expressed by “Bon appétit” or “Guten Appetit” appear merely as wishes for a pleasant meal, simply lacking the gratitude underlying “Itadakimasu.” The latter, which places its focus upon the food’s source instead of the coming feast, reveal manners that showcase of the traditional Japanese Buddhist foundation (though the religion has been considered less influential during modern times).
Likewise, the habit of finishing everything you have been given as a way of showing appreciation to those who have died for you, is Japanese etiquette owing its origin to Buddhist thinking as well.
Other important table manners is that, besides saying “Itadakimasu” before eating, no one should start until everyone has gathered ready at the table. This custom might not be exclusively Japanese – as many will agree that digging in as soon as the food arrives is plainly impolite – but more precisely, no one should start before the highest ranked person among the group does. This could be the household head, the most senior person, or your boss. These manners are not illogical, given the emphasis that seniority has within Japanese daily life.
The etiquette of “Gochisousama-deshita!”
A phrase used after finishing your meal, which can be literally translated with “It was a great deal of work (preparing the meal).” Thus, it might be fair to interpret the Japanese as “Thank you for the meal, it was a feast.” Again, as manners of thanks for the food along with everyone related, omitting saying the phrase will make you look impolite or even ungrateful.
A phrase used after finishing your meal, which can be literally translated with “It was a great deal of work (preparing the meal).” Thus, it might be fair to interpret the Japanese as “Thank you for the meal, it was a feast.” Again, as manners of thanks for the food along with everyone related, omitting saying the phrase will make you look impolite or even ungrateful.
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Imagery influence
Typography- Using traditional style
calligraphy to portray meaning.
The stroke order of the kanji is also
important when handwritten or through calligraphy ink. The order of the
strokes creates a sense of flow to the characters that can be recognized even
when the characters looks different.
A character that has correct stroke order
and one that has a different stroke order probably can’t be distinguished by
someone who isn’t knowledgeable on the characters. But once the character is
written in different styles, the strokes become an important way of identifying
the character.
sahou
作法
Noun
1. manners; etiquette
2. manner of production (esp. of prose, poetry, etc.); way of
making
作=
1. work (e.g. of art); production
2. harvest; cultivation; farming; crop; yield
3. technique
法= Noun, Noun - used as a suffix
1. law; act; principle
· Everybody is equal before the law.
2. method
· I don't think this is a good approach
to biology.
3. mood
Linguistics terminology
4. dharma
Buddhist term
Traditional
painting style:
Sumi-e
Sumi-e is a type of ink wash painting
that conveys the liveliness of the subject rather than its physical
appearance/structure such as muscle or bone. It captures the expression of a
piece of art that is unseen. For example when painting a flower it is not
necessary to perfectly illustrate its petals and colours. However, it is
essential to capture its liveliness and fragrance. The meaning of the artwork
is more important than the physical detail.
Jan zaremba
Zen Art using sumi-e (ink wash painting)
Zen is a part of Buddhism that promotes the simplicity and
the aspect of less. Historically zen priests often painted images of their Zen
masters. The Zen portraits portrayed the details of their masters close up. The
whole image would be filled with only the head. This a very different from
earlier Japanese paintings which had people depicted as small figures. The Zen
priests also painted landscapes in water and black ink painting.
In a Zen monk's life, a painting was a result of their
meditation which captured the essence of the subject. This could
be whether it was religious or spiritual.
Qiao Seng
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Origami
Origami is an art of folding paper. It is usually associated with Japanese culture.
Origami was often used in ceremonies in the Edo period. Noshi were often attached to gifts. Noshi were usually white paper folded with some type of meat attached as a token of good luck. There was also a poem by Ihara Saikaku from 1680 which talks about there being traditional butterfly origami used during shinto weddings.
Japanese origami was introduced around the same time that Buddhist monk brought paper to japan in the 6th century. The first origami were only used in religious ceremonies due to the expensiveness of the paper.
Origami is an art of folding paper. It is usually associated with Japanese culture.
Origami was often used in ceremonies in the Edo period. Noshi were often attached to gifts. Noshi were usually white paper folded with some type of meat attached as a token of good luck. There was also a poem by Ihara Saikaku from 1680 which talks about there being traditional butterfly origami used during shinto weddings.
Japanese origami was introduced around the same time that Buddhist monk brought paper to japan in the 6th century. The first origami were only used in religious ceremonies due to the expensiveness of the paper.
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