Japan’s intangible cultural heritage

I’ve just arrived back on Jeju from ten days in Japan; I’ve got some catching up to do on my blog.  I’m not going to start by posting about of the sights of Tokyo or Yokohama, or the mountains, castles or onsen-bathing Monkeys of Gunma and Nagano – that’ll come later. Instead, here are some photos of my lunch. OK, so they’re not from the same meal but that’s a mere detail.

I was accused by a colleague (ex-colleague, I should say) of being like a Japanese woman when I got my camera out to take photos of the food that was served. I can understand why it’s such a common thing in Japan; not only are the tastes so good but the presentation is an art in itself. Indeed, Japanese cuisine has just been added to the UNESCO ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage’ list, so I feel justified in posting some of the results in my first blog entry for almost two weeks.

There’s even a word for it, “washoku”. Long may it last, in spite of the threats from fast food chains and the increased popularity of Western dishes.