'
Itadakimasu', simply meaning ‘I humbly receive’, is what Japanese people would always say when they are about to eat or drink. It's the one thing that I always hear when I’m in japan, and yet, it always manages to surprise me when I hear it is spoken out loud by someone sitting across from me or beside me at a dining table, for I’m yet used to such practice of etiquette.
Being back in japan has always been one of my travel goals. Now that I’m back, there is not one moment where I didn’t appreciate the fact that I was once again able to hunt for food of Japan that I love so much. It can be anywhere; the basement halls of train stations where one may find choices of shops, cafes and restaurants, the basement level of a department store building where one may find tons of food stands and a supermarket, the small street alleys where one may find teeny tiny basement bars, cafes, and restaurants, or the many street side convenient shops and beverage vending machines. ALL are good places to hunt for that authentic eating or drinking experience that you just can't get at home.
One thing I learned in japan when it comes to etiquette is that one does NOT eat or drink while walking. You don’t see people walking around munching or drinking something. When they want to, they would stop at some eatery place or a convenient shop or street side vending machine to do so. When they are done, then they would continue on walking. This is why it’s so damn hard to locate a trashcan on the streets of japan. The same etiquette applies for talking on the phone. NOBODY uses his or her phone while walking. They would step aside and stop somewhere to finish their conversation or texting before they continue on their journey. They even refrain from talking on their cell phone on the bus or train. They are definitely the quietest people I know. And I love them for it.
Though their etiquette is far different from one that I’m accustomed to, I can't help but to love their way of appreciating food. To say ‘itadakimasu’ is equivalent to saying grace. To be thankful for what you about to receive and to be polite to those whom you are dining with. I learned pretty quickly that though the portions of food in japan is far smaller than most international cuisines, their array of choices of accompaniments included in many meals is far more satisfying than just a single large portion of a dish. Another aspect of Japanese cuisine that I appreciate.
For a week and a half I was spoiled beyond belief. Meals alone worth the hassles and exhaustion of a business trip. Not one meal was too much or too little. They always seemed just right. Portion wise, choices wise, flavor wise, and experience wise. I refuse to believe that it was just a typical excitement one gets when traveling. I know now, after several trips to this nation of the rising sun, that I always feel giddy, joyous, and child-like when I’m in japan. And I never feel that same way when I travel to any other country. So, now whenever I find myself sitting in a Japanese restaurant back home and about to eat, I would quietly say to myself ‘itadakimasu’. Just as a quick jog down the memory lane on what it feels like being in japan.
All pictures are just some of the fruits of my culinary adventures in this past trip.
Recommend
Comments (13)
Man, everything looks soooooo good. I haven't tried too much Japanese food-just typical things like udon, tonkatsu, sushi, etc, but everything I've had so far has been pretty good. I'm Korean, so we also say something before we eat: Jalmukgetseumnida 잘먹겠습니다 which means "I will eat this well". After you're done eating, you say, Jalmukgukseumnida 잘먹었습니다 which means "I ate well".
ahh.. looks delicious. love these food pics. did you eat any interesting kit kats? i love japanese kit kats and am obsessed with them.
the french are similar to the japanese in their appreciation of food and dining. when i visited paris, if you walked down the street with a coffee cup in hand, they'd instantly look at you knowing you were american. their culture isn't a fast, frenzied, don't have time to enjoy anything kinda culture... they always take the time to sit and enjoy their coffee, wine, chocolate, cheese, etc.
Mmm, everything looks so good! And they are geniuses with presentation- I think that's really important to an appetite. :D I wish I had the opportunity to experience Japan for myself.
What is the thing second from the bottom? It looks like a kind of lychee.
@sassyjessie@xanga - I think those are gingko nuts.
Oishisou!! I agree, all the foods in Japan are so awesome, even their convenient store foods are amazing! That marron dessert is calling to me! Also after you're finished eating, we say "gochisousamadeshita!" which means like, thank you for the meal, it was good, etc.
@iheartjournals@xanga - thank you for that. i'm planning to visit seoul next year. this is very helpful for me to know. gamsahamida.
@Soapie@xanga - yes, i did. like 10 kinds of flavors of kit-kats. the kinds that you won't see outside japan :)@Fatal_Lightning@xanga - i hope that you will, someday soon. and everything does look good there. one could easily spend tons of money on food alone just for the fact that they all LOOK good to eat. japanese are very good at food packaging and food displays. but yeah, food alone is worth the trip. everything tasted good there.
@Zakai@xanga - @sassyjessie@xanga - yup, they are. different from the regular ones that would be smaller, less round, and more yellowish.
@rabbitsarecool14@xanga - i know! even the 7eleven there is food heaven. i had curry rice, onigiri sushi, green tea pudding, oden soup, black sesame mochi, and many more, ALL readily available at 7evelen. all of their street side convenient shops there are worth visiting.
Hello !
Your information has been introduced inhttp://news.searchina.ne.jp/disp.cgi?y=2012&d=1212&f=national_1212_001.shtml,which presents wonderful topics related to
Thank you !Japan.
I am Japanese and I was told in childhood, "Itadakimasu means I'll receive a life because foods are the result of killing. thus we'll appreciate our foods from heart and this comes from buddhism." I'm not sure it's true or not. However after that I could appreciate 'Itadakimasu' well. Before that I had thought it's only a meaningless and boaring custom. By the way, I had growen in urban area however when I travelled rural area I have sometimes surprised by looking a stone monument saying "pray for the spirit of pigs (we ate or killed?)" or "pray for the spirit of cattles" etc. The farmers should feel uneasy for killing the cattles they grew and may pray before the monuments. And finding those gave me somewhat good feeling and felt they should not be killed for granted.
She says "Itadakimasu" also includes the appreciation for the effort to cook the foods, for the people or the society that prepared and delivered the ingredients, sources, energy ...needed for the meal. So "Itadakimasu" means will receive all those. And also "Gochisousama" means (I got a good meal) thanks for all those. I also think that's more popular explanation. In particular for the effort of cooking. (Direct translation of "Gochisou" is a good meal)
@Murthy007 - thank you for the referral. unfortunately, i don't read japanese :(
@Lavie_xxx999@twitter - thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment. i don't read japanese but Nobita took time to post the translation and so now i'm able to understand it. thanks again :)
@Nobita - yes, you're right. we should not take our food for granted. if i'm not mistaken, japan practices a religion called 'shinto', which incorporates the appreciation for nature and that all things have a life, thus such a high respect for nature and animals in general. and thank you for the translation of the comment by lavie_xxx999.I don't know about Shinto well. but so far my impression about it is not so different from other countries myths such as the god sent a hero to the earth and made the country so let's worship them.... But the taste or fashion is very Japanese like, extremely simplified, no statues, black and white like a monochrome movie and quite formalized. However as you say there's a notion that the God rests on mountains or trees ... so on. So in shrines there's a feeling that we worship also the mountains behind ...etc. that may be related to the fact that there's no statues in shrine.
By the way I began to think 'Itadakimasu' is just the same idea as your "Thanks giving". 'Itadakimasu' also means 'given'. In usual conversation 'Itadakimasu' is used as follows. When A gives something to B then A says 'Sashiagemasu' and B says 'Itadakimasu'. I felt interesting that the same idea became a festival and a holiday at oneside and became a murmur before eating on the other side. however there's a different feeling or taste. Thanks giving shows more joyous mood in contrast to Itadakimasu's more formal feeling.
@Nobita - thanks again for this. sorry for the late response. i don't know how i missed your reply. yes, i think you are correct. you certainly have a much more insight on the japanese culture and the meaning of their saying.