Product Description

Japanese cooking, it is often said, is to be eaten with the eyes. So compelling are the food arrangements that the diner experiencing a traditional meal for the first time often finds that his or her impressions of the presentation overshadow the actually taste of the food.

In Japanese haute cuisine, all the senses are involved. Taste, smell, sight, touch, and even hearing contribute to a total, subtle harmony of beauty and flavor.

It is this expert merging of food and vessel-minimalism achieved with great skill-that captivates. Each vessel is chosen for its color, shape, and compatibility, and each should be a work of art. When foods are arranged in such plates, dishes, and bowls, they come alive; the savoriness of the food is visually augmented by splashes of colorful glazes and the fluid curves of the hand-crafted tableware.
The Fine Art of Japanese Food Arrangement introduces this traditional approach for the first time in English. It explores the intimacy between the eye and the palate and opens up a way to greatly increase one's pleasure in the simple, creative, and universal act of eating.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #514640 in Books
• Published on: 2003-01-17
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 168 pages

Review
"...a fascinating introduction to integral aspect of Japanese Cuisine." -- The Japan Times

"beautifully illustrated" -- Ceramics Monthly June/July/August 2003

Japanese food ... was a profound influence on nouvelle cuisine starting in the 1970's, [this book], explains the rules... -- The New York Times, February 19, 2003

Review

"Americans are used to heaping plates, but Japanese food is presented in a minimalist style and has been a profound influence on nouvelle cuisine starting in the 1970s. The Fine Art of Japanese Food Arrangement explains the rules, which depend not only on the kind of food and type of vessel used, but also on the seasons. Food, the book explains, is usually arranged to honor 'the beauty of empty space' in patterns called flat, bowl, piled up, jumbled, nestled, scattered, even cedar tree, a kind of pyramid, all diagrammed in the book. To prevent dull symmetry, pieces of food look best in odd numbers; sashimi is always arranged with three, five or seven slices. The book includes many photos of utensils and containers, as well as their history." -The New York Times
"Divided into four sections-seasonal food arrangements, function and beauty, food and utensils-The Art of Japanese Food Arrangement not only explores the meaning behind the arrangements, but also the serving dishes on which the food is placed...beautifully illustrated." -Ceramics Monthly Magazine
"Whether you look at this book from a culinary, artistic, or aesthetic point of view, the information is unmatched. Tsuchiya lovingly explains the principles behind a Japanese meal. He describes the methods of arranging food for each course, for both everyday meals and special occasions. The reader will learn how to time the serving of food so that hot and cold dishes appear at the appropriate times; how to select vessels, making sure that convenience and harmony are respected while following the convention that no two bowls of the same shape or style should ever be used in succession. Elegantly photographed...as much an art book as a manual for the presentation of Japanese cuisine." -Persimmon Magazine
"This book remains the foremost and best book of Japanese food arrangement in English....an excellent book." -Ikebana Magazine
"Lavishly photographed and with many diagrams showing the different styles of food arrangement, this book is a fascinating introduction to an integral aspect of Japanese cuisine." -The Japan Times

About the Author

YOSHIO TSUCHIYA was born in Osaka in 1938. After graduating from Osaka City University in 1962. he joined the Suntory Corporation. Before retiring, he served as the chief curator of the Suntory Museum of Art in Tokyo, where he organized several exhibitions of food vessels. Tsuchiya has a number of Japanese publications to his credit.
MASARU YAMAMOTO was born in Kyoto in 1944 and graduated from Ritsumeikan University. He is the owner of the Ginkakuji Sangetsu, a caterer of kaiseki food, or Japanese haute cuisine, in Kyoto. Yamamoto learned the art and aesthetics of kaiseki from well-known tea masters and is active in encouraging its study and promulgation.

Customer Reviews

A reprint of a classic
We bought this fabulous volume in hard cover in Osaka in 1986. At a much higher price. Not only are the food arrangements gorgeous but the utensils are major museum pieces. The best of Japanese ceramics, lacquer, bamboo, beautifully photographed.

(We are neither Japanese nor potters--just people who find beauty an important renewal in our troublesome.)

Stunning!
I saw this in a bookstore and it was so beautiful I just HAD to have it! The title explains the book perfectly. It has interesting historical information and many large, impressive photos of food which is stunningly arranged. This is not so much a cookbook (there are no actual recipes but foods and methods of preperation are listed) This is a fabulous coffee table/art book. Even for people who can't afford the antique museum quality ceramics and laquerware pictured, there are great ideas for methods of arranging foods that are sure to make any meal look more beautiful. There is also information about seasonal foods, the color of foods, the importance of giving flavos and shapes contrast. I have found these things to make a huge difference in the success of a meal. This is a great book for anyone who is a big fan of Japanese food. The book gave me a lot of great ideas and I now find it much easier to plan and arrange a meal, be it French food, American food, or Asian food.

for lover's of japanese pottery
As a person who loves to prepare japanese food items, I was overjoyed to see so many photographs of beautiful examples of japanese ceramics. Of course I expected the food arrangement to be explained but above and beyond this are color photos of various types of serving ware. In addition to food preparation I find the presentation aspect of eating to be a bonus that only heightens the experience.