Hokusai at the table

The structure of the Japanese meal in the Edo period revolves around white rice (gohan), the pivot and measure of every meal. Around it gravitate a soup (most often miso soup), a modest main dish (fish, tofu), and small accompaniments, including the indispensable tsukemono (pickled vegetables). There is no talk of appetizer, main course, and dessert: everything is set out at once, and one picks and chooses with each mouthful of rice. For a commoner like Hokusai, a reduced version — ichijū-issai, one soup and one side — often sufficed, quickly swallowed to return to work.

The clear broth made from smoked dried bonito (katsuobushi) and kombu seaweed is the invisible soul of Edo cuisine. Without salt or fat, it brings that savory depth — umami — that supports miso soup, noodle broth, and a thousand preparations. It is the basso continuo of an entire cuisine.