Dashi & Shoyu: Essence Of Japan

Together with Shoestring we have found the perfect Sunday afternoon lunch film for you this year in ‘Dashi & Shoyu’, an unparalleled journey to Japan and its subtle and pure cuisine. This multi-award-winning documentary will certainly make your mouth water!

The documentary is based on the TV program ‘Washoku’ (literally translated: Japanese cuisine) made by the NHK, the renowned Japan Broadcasting Corporation. The fact that Washoku is a world heritage site has prompted this French producer to make this successful documentary version, which we would like to show you on this Sunday afternoon with a full stomach.

Since time immemorial, Japanese chefs have used everything that nature has to offer. Japan as a country has little space to do much agriculture. That is why they use everything the earth offers them, from the jungles, the ocean and the mountains. In order to be fully nourished, according to them, you have to use all your senses and become aware of the world around you, both the visible and the hidden.

To discover these secrets, it is essential to know what the two pillars of the pure and modest Japanese cuisine are: Dashi, a delicate broth and Shoyu, the golden sauce. Filmmaker Shibata takes you through Japan and shows you not only how Japanese dishes are made but also the idea behind them.

The same respect that there is in Japan for nature and the subtleties of cooking is reflected in how the filmmakers approach their subject. In addition to the unparalleled cinematography, the subject is clearly and appropriately dissected and presented.

It is as if you are watching a Planet Earth documentary and David Attenborough describes the secrets of Japanese cuisine: itadakimasu!

All images: © 2014 “Dashi & Shoyu: Essence Of Japan”