Presented in cooperation with the Western University Department of English and Writing Studies and the London Public Library

Japanese Food: A Documentary Film Series

Japan, Man and Nature in Harmony: Dashi, Essence of Japan
Directed by Shohei Shibata
2014, 49 minutes
Documentary

For centuries, the Japanese have learned to draw from the treasures of nature; their cuisine distills the very best from the country’s oceans, mountains and forests. ‘Dashi’ is the bedrock of Japanese cuisine. Deceptively simple, master chefs have jealously guarded its secrets for centuries. Its development came about as a result of a historical event that triggered a “food revolution”: Buddhism arrived in Japan 1500 years ago, prohibiting the consumption of meat. The Japanese quickly sought other sources of ‘umami’ taste and found it in Dashi.

Japan, Man and Nature in Harmony: Shoyu and the Secrets of Japanese Cuisine
Directed by Shohei Shibata
2014, 49 minutes
Documentary

The Japanese discovered that a humble mould spore could transform soya beans into ‘Shoyu’, the soy sauce that is a pillar of Japanese cuisine. Sprinkle it on rice and the rice changes into sake… This mould is a tiny organism called ‘Aspergillus oryzae’ and mysteriously, it exists only in Japan! We travel to the imperial city of Kyoto, where the ancient craft of brewing Shoyu is preserved. This delicate process begins in spring and requires a whole year to mature the soy sauce. The Shoyu brewer knows it is all a question of balance and harmony…