Dried Foods: Ancient Wisdom Gracing Kyoto Tables

Dried shiitake mushrooms...

dried daikon radish...

dried sardines - each of these exemplifies the dried foods indispensable in the preparation of washoku, or Japanese cuisine.

Techniques to preserve perishable foods developed long before refrigeration and freezing technology, and are the quintessence of ancient wisdom.

Quality dried foods from across the nation were delivered to Kyoto, the former capital, where they gave rise to a unique food culture.

In recent decades, changes in eating habits have diminished the role of dried foods.

However, there is an emerging trend to revisit and highlight the value of these overlooked foodstuffs.

Dried foods have exceptional
shelf life and nutritional value.

They help reduce food loss and
deserve to be called "super foods."

Core Kyoto unravels how these foods still enrich and sustain the ancient capital's culinary needs.

Near Nishiki Market, which is known as "Kyoto's pantry," is a shop founded in 1804 that specializes in one of Kyoto's typical dried foods.

Yuba, or dried tofu skin, is ubiquitous in Japanese cuisine.

The yuba produced in Kyoto is favored for its high quality.

Dried soybeans are soaked, ground, then filtered to produce soy milk.

When the soy milk is heated, a thin skin forms on the surface.

This is yuba.

Each successive layer is carefully lifted from the surface.

The sheets are then left to dry.

Monks were unable to eat meat and fish, so
they developed shojin-ryori vegetarian cuisine.

They used yuba in their diet, which
found its way into Japan with Buddhism.

Yuba is said to have arrived from China some 800 years ago together with Zen Buddhism.

Shojin-ryouri, or devout cuisine, developed from the strict precepts and austere lifestyle that surrounds Zen, which forbids the eating of living creatures.

Rich in vegetable protein, fat, and minerals, yuba with its long shelf life was found useful in Kyoto's many temples, and its use eventually spread to the citizenry.

Yuba can also be eaten fresh and has a soft, creamy consistency.

As it is perishable, only select individuals were historically allowed to enjoy it.

With highly developed preservation technology and distribution channels, fresh yuba has exceeded its dried counterpart in popularity and demand.

In response, this shop committed itself to restoring the worth of dried yuba.

As a yuba specialty store, we feel
the need to continue producing dried yuba, as we have always done,
regardless of the changing times.

Being a heritage business, the proprietors recognize their role in protecting and sharing traditional cuisine.

Kyoto's dried yuba also boasts a visual beauty, and with a little extra effort, the variations are endless.

That beauty relies on the skills of experienced workers.

The damp yuba is rolled, folded, and bound before it fully dries.

That artistry produces edible works that are appealing to the eye, a characteristic of Kyoto cuisine.

The shop also offers an in-house dining area to help convey the food's appeal.

The menu features a yuba hot pot meal.

The yuba absorbs the kelp soup for a deep flavor, making hot pot the ideal dish to spotlight its tastiness.

Yuba's varying textures are among its most enjoyable features.

Layered yuba has a smooth consistency.

Rolled yuba is chewier.

Ribbon-like cinched yuba has a light and fluffy texture.

The proprietors hope that sharing the unique delights of dried yuba will revive this traditional food.

We are a Kyoto-based store.

The local culture engendered
the yuba we eat today, and this local specialty
is the basis of our business.

We would like to see yuba become
a favorite at restaurants and in homes.

Aside from yuba, Kyoto offers innumerable dried foods.

A producer of dried foodstuffs, established in 1904, opened a specialty shop in Kyoto's popular Higashiyama area to promote the enjoyment of dried foods.

Kinako, roasted soybean flour, kujo-negi, a type of leek and one of Kyoto's heritage vegetables,

and locally grown red pepper.

The mission of this shop - which offers about 200 types of dried, mainly agricultural, products - is to sustain and share the wisdom passed down from ancient times.

In the old days
before frozen foods, a culture developed around
dehydrating leftover produce -

for later reconstitution
and use in meals.

Kyo-shichimi, which literally means "the seven flavors of Kyoto," is a complex spice.

Red pepper and six other spices are powdered and blended for use in dishes.

And each shop has its own recipe.

This shop also uses sesame, dried seaweed, and dried citrus peel in its blend.

Apart from the standard red pepper, the shichimi produced in Kyoto relies heavily on sansho, or Japanese pepper, which has an invigorating aroma that enhances flavor.

Popular with tourists is the shop's "shichimi experience," where they choose their own ratio of the seven spices.

Unbelievably delicious.

Each personalized blend is a one-of-a-kind.

Some of the products are procured from traders, but most of the vegetables are dried in-house.

For dried food specialty shops like ours,
the grower is the key.

We built a factory in Kyotango
so we could liaise with local farmers- and dehydrate their produce
on the spot.

Kyotango, located in the northern part of Kyoto Prefecture, is one of the prefecture's agricultural hubs.

The factory opened in 2019.

Dried foods produced in Kyoto are commercial hits.

The company promotes local production for local consumption to enhance its image as a Kyoto dried food emporium.

I'm glad we located here,
as our proximity to the grower means - quicker delivery and fresher produce.

Kyotango is known for its production of particularly tasty sweet potatoes.

The factory employees painstakingly dry the locally grown, high quality tubers.

Communication with the grower is an important factor in producing a delicious product.

Nomura pays a visit to Tsubokura Hiroaki, one of the factory's suppliers.

He discusses plans for sweet potato cultivation and inspects current operations.

How many work the fields?

Two of us - my son and I.
When we get busy, my wife pitches in.

I see.

It's hard work.

The factory does what it can to support its affiliated farmers and ensure quality harvests.

I'm grateful that they market
our local specialties, as it invigorates the region.

Surplus and misshapen produce which cannot be marketed are given added value through dried food production.

For the reason behind the
emergence of dried foods, you need look no further than
the concept of avoiding wastefulness,

which faded as society grew
increasingly affluent.

Now, we feel we are not here
simply to sell a commodity - but rather to share the message
that dried foods help prevent waste.

Supporting local agriculture generates delicious dried foods.

The cycle is completed as those sales further support sustainable agriculture.

This company hopes to contribute to a more sustainable society through its dry provisions.

Long ago, it was difficult to procure fresh seafood in landlocked Kyoto.

Dried seafood became a handy way to savor marine products and led to cooking techniques which resulted in tasty dishes despite the extra time required.

Migaki-nishin is one of the most familiar types of dried seafood in Kyoto.

The head and organs are removed before the herring is dehydrated.

Simmered with a slightly sweetened, savory flavoring, the herring becomes a topping for buckwheat noodles, in a dish known as Nishin-soba.

Concocted in the 1880s, the dish became a popular Kyoto specialty.

Nishin-soba is a staple item on the menu of this more-than-300-year-old soba restaurant.

Nowadays, many shops procure pre-stewed herring, but this restaurant takes pride in preparing the fish itself.

Long ago, herring was delivered to Kyoto from Hokkaido's coastal areas over 1,000 kilometers away, where it was caught in large quantities.

The fish was commonly dried to ensure its preservation.

From the 18th to the 19th centuries, the fish was transported by Japan's famed cargo ships which sailed the Sea of Japan.

The ships transported the dried fish from Hokkaido to Osaka, after which it was carried to Kyoto.

Herring, which is rich in fat, was heavily fished and hence cheap, facilitating its use as fertilizer as well.

Proprietor Ueda Ken believes there was a reason dried filleted herring was so meaningful to Kyotoites.

The fish was an excellent
source of protein, so I think the inexpensive dried herring
from the north was a precious commodity.

Since animal protein was scarce for Kyotoites over a century ago, they willingly invested time and effort into developing techniques for the tasty preparation of the herring.

Initially, the dried fish is soaked overnight to make it tender.

The fillets are carefully layered vertically and horizontally in alternating strata taking size into consideration.

This allows the boiling water to reach each fish and prevents them from falling apart.

Sugar is added and the fish are simmered for about four hours.

As they release considerable fat, the water is changed midway.

Removal of the fat helps the fish retain the seasoning in the next step.

The shop has used the same sweet-savory seasoning for some 50 years.

This step takes 40 minutes and requires constant attention to ensure the fish do not scorch.

The fish are then left a full day to allow the flavor to penetrate.

The process thus requires three days.

The herring are not the only dried food used in nishin-soba.

The stock used to make nishin-soba contains
kelp and bonito, both dehydrated.

Even the buckwheat noodles
are a form of dried food.

So, a whole host of dried ingredients
are contained in a single bowl.

Dried buckwheat seed is the raw ingredient in soba noodles.

This restaurant draws its soup stock from kelp and both smoked bonito and mackerel flakes.

The umami component of dried food,
and bonito flakes to an extent, is enhanced by dehydration.
That is also true of kelp.

Beloved for over a century, nishin-soba is surely a culinary masterpiece among the dried food dishes born from Kyoto ingenuity.

The westernization of the Japanese diet has led to fewer opportunities to cook washoku traditional cuisine, and hence a decrease in the usage of dried foods.

The effort involved in rehydrating them and the perception that they are only used in washoku have created a negative aura.

Culinary researcher Yamagami Hiromi is distressed by such viewpoints and works to share the appeal of dried foods.

She supervises cooking classes incorporating dried foods at her home, a traditional machiya townhouse built some 90 years ago.

Her original recipes receive favorable reviews from students.

Yamagami's kitchen is well-stocked with a variety of dried items which she makes good use of in her cooking.

I always keep my stock of dried foods
in small bags so they are easily identifiable.

For miso soup on a busy day, place bonito flakes, which produces stock, into a bowl, add your preferred dried vegetables and foods, then finish off by adding miso and hot water.

There is a perception that
using dried foods is time-consuming.

But dried radish, for example, is already cut,
so you can bypass the knife and cutting board.

They are ready for use,
making them rather handy.

She familiarized herself with dried foods from an early age at her parents' shop.

This is where I grew up.

Located in an arcade, the shop is just moments from Yamagami's home and classroom.

The business was started by her grandfather.

After training in a dried food shop, he opened a similar business of his own.

Now, Yamagami's parents along with her younger brother and his wife run the store.

The business has gone on to also handle fresh coastal seafood.

A range of freshly cooked side dishes is also offered.

But the business still offers dried foods, as it has since its founding.

Yamagami grew up eating the Kyoto-style home cooking which makes plentiful use of dried foods.

When Yamagami began cooking herself, she discovered the potential of those ingredients.

Dried foods can be used in not only washoku
but also any international cuisine.

People should shed their old concepts
and enjoy them with various flavorings.

Yamagami's dried food cooking classes introduce dishes from a variety of culinary traditions.

This quiche includes dried seaweed and mozzarella cheese.

The dish surprises students accustomed to using dried seaweed in washoku.

Dried foods can play a unique role in a creative array of dishes.

I'm going to add chicken to dried shiitake
and daikon radish to make a stew.

The umami concentration is enhanced in shiitake mushrooms and daikon by drying.

First, saute the chicken in a frypan.

Chop the rehydrated shiitake and daikon into bite-sized pieces and add them to the pan.

Yamagami does not waste the water used to rehydrate the vegetables, as the shiitake and daikon release umami when they rehydrate.

This wisdom has been handed down over generations.

We add a bit of umami from
sliced kelp as well.

It's a tasty ingredient but also
produces a fine soup.

Soy sauce and sugar provide the seasoning.

The mix is simmered over low heat.

The dish of stewed chicken and dried vegetables is now ready.

The concentration of umami and nutrition in dried foods guarantees a flavor boost.

Now the leftover stock is used in another dish.

Arame is a form of kelp often consumed in Kyoto.

The liquid from the rehydrated shiitake is added to the leftover stock with the reconstituted arame.

Add fresh mushrooms and vegetables of your choice.

Light-colored soy sauce and mirin sweet cooking sake are added for seasoning, and the mixture is simmered.

The sage Kyoto philosophy of using the very last drop to prevent waste has generated innumerable creative dishes.

The use of dried foods is imbued
with the spirit of frugality - the desire to avoid waste.

Dried foods have an exceptional
shelf life and nutritional value.

They help reduce food loss and
deserve to be called "super foods."

I will strive to continue sharing
their goodness.

Over centuries, Kyotoites' unique aesthetic sense and inventiveness refined the use of dried foods.

The wisdom of generations conceals hints for enriching the dietary lifestyles of the future.