A CULINARY JOURNEY THROUGH KANSAI

This region of western Japan straddles the country from the Sea of Japan in Northern Kyoto to the Pacific Ocean, including Awaji Island — the nation’s mythical birthplace. It’s a land of wild mountains, terraced rice fields and rocky, ria coastline — and it’s where the story of Japanese food began.

To learn about Japanese cuisine, one must look to the past. But one must also look to Kansai, for this is where the story starts. This land, stretching across the west of Japan’s main island of Honshu and encompassing 10 prefectures, used to be known as Miketsukuni, meaning land of royal provisions. For centuries it was the emperor’s breadbasket. Food here was so bountiful and so delicious it was fit not only for the royal family, but for the gods.

It’s a reputation that continues today. In the fields, low-hanging sea mist provides the cover and warmth for delicate tea leaves and rice stalks to flourish. Rainfall filters through the mountains, collecting nutrients and minerals before flowing out to sea, feeding marine life and creating some of the best fishing grounds in the world.

The abundance and quality of the region’s produce: mackerel, spiny lobster, rice, wild mushrooms and boar — has fostered rich culinary traditions. From soy sauce and miso to sake and green tea, much of what’s now considered distinctively Japanese was first created in Kansai, and the techniques for producing, growing or catching these products have, in many cases, continued unchanged for centuries.

Visitors to Kansai today can experience the ancient art of washoku (traditional Japanese cuisine) prepared by master chefs in Kyoto, and learn the more modern practice of matcha latte art in local cafes. They can dine on delicious vegetarian meals at Buddhist temples, and feast on grilled shellfish caught by the women of the sea. A culinary tour of Kansai will take travellers from fields to fine-dining restaurants, but wherever they go, they will always be close to the earth.

Shokado Garden Art Museum, Kyoto