The history and culture of the Samurai have always fascinated all lovers of Japanese culture, especially regarding the proverbial customs adopted over the centuries by these warriors. Samurai was the name by which the members of the military caste of feudal Japan: adept at wielding the katana, a famous curved sword, they based their entire lives on a code of honor, the Bushidō.
Composed of a set of rules and philosophical principles, Bushidō represented an essential resource: also called "The Way of the Warrior," it contained the worldview, ethics, and discipline adopted by these men throughout the course of their existence, enough on the fundamental duty to "serve," in the full literal sense of the word.
The Life of the Samurai had no value in itself and its dignity depended entirely on the relationship of loyalty to the sovereign; the violation of a single rule knew only one solution: the sepukku, ritual suicide as well as the only chance to recover lost honor.
Heavily influenced by cultural customs and traditions, it was the food diet of the Samurai: in times of peace included various qualities of legumes, rice, vegetables, fish, and meat, all washed down with plenty of sake, a traditional alcoholic beverage. Normally, they consumed three meals a day, while nobles had two and monks one.
While meat was a staple for them, nobles and monks did not consume it in compliance with Buddhist rules; milk and sugar were known only as medicines while tea, thanks to the introduction of a tradition totally shaped by these men was no longer seen as a medicine, but as a real drink, consumed during a careful and meticulous ceremony.
When the Samurai fought, they received as rice reward called koku: one koku was equivalent to the amount of rice needed to feed a man for a year; sometimes these soldiers were paid in gold coins called ryo: one coin corresponded to one koku.
A remarkable merit, as well as a super-interesting curiosity, lies in the fact that to enshrine the success of theekibentō was the samurai Oda Nobunaga, who chose to distribute simple and practical meals to castle guests.
In time, the lunchbox became an ever-present accessory during outings away from home, and even more so with the boom of the industrial railroad. Over time, the Samurai gradually lost their military function and privileges, so that to this day they no longer exist; however, the Bushidō, has survived and is still, in today's Japanese society, a core of fundamental moral principles and behavior. Along with it, their diet also somehow survives: they call it the Samurai diet and consists of eating a balanced and healthy diet with the goal of being stronger, just as the ancient warriors did.
Italian Food Academy's Japanese Cooking Course
The training institution Italian Food Academy Italian Food Academy organizes an exclusive Japanese cooking course through which you will acquire the basic and advanced techniques of cutting, preparing and cooking traditional Japanese dishes. Italian Food Academy's Japanese Cooking Course is aimed at chefs and bar managers who want to specialize in this type of preparation but also at enthusiasts, equipped with manual dexterity and creativity.
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