Times are changing for Japanese women, and the changes are profound. Traditionally, young Japanese boys and girls followed firmly established paths. For instance, as a young boy, Ono went out into his community to find a willing teacher to take him in and allow him to learn an art or trade as an apprentice. He found a master metal worker whose products were legendary. He convinced the master to grant him the honor of receiving an education from him. The apprenticeship lasted well into adulthood. Eventually, Ono ventured out on his own and established himself in the community. In time, he began taking apprentices of his own.
Young Etsuko also followed a clear path. She learned from her mother, grandmother, aunts, and older sisters. She quietly observed the ways of caring for a family. Her mentors gave her lessons in cooking, cleaning, manners, caregiving, and the very important tea ceremonies. She practiced these common tasks for years until she mastered them as an art form. Eventually, Etsuko married and used what she learned to care for her own family. She trained her children to carry on the legacies of her ancestors.
Japanese children sought out their established paths for thousands of years. The culture thrived. Vibrant and significant traditions persisted for centuries. But how does a culture continue to grow? How does it maintain tradition when those who are expected to carry them on no longer have a desire to do so?
A country losing its culture must change to preserve it. It seeks out people who can maintain and modify tradition at the same time. Centuries-old culinary practices deeply rooted in Japanese culture are being threatened by the changing face of Japanese society. Japanese women have broken from the cultural norm. They’re venturing into the culinary workforce to save many of the traditions from which they were banned for over 2,000 years. Nothing will stop them from launching the Japanese restaurant industry into the 21st Century.
Chefs have prepared sushi in many different fashions for centuries. As early as 710 BCE, Japanese culture revered sushi chefs. The chefs preserved raw fish by pressing it between vinegared rice. Since then, ambitious restaurateurs from every corner of the globe have turned sushi making into a worldwide art. Even so, Japanese chefs have practiced sushi preparation in its current fresh, non-fermented form for only a few hundred years.
The centuries-old Japanese model of appreniticeship works as follows. A master of sushi, shokunin, takes one or several young male apprentices into his establishment. For at least the first year, the young apprentices are not allowed to even hold a knife. They clean bathrooms or common areas for the first few months. Then, they move up to deliveries or shopping. This allows them to master one task before moving on to another.
When the chef, or itamae, is ready, he lets the apprentices observe his movements and practices. “Steal with your eyes” is part of the foundation of Japanese learning. The students try to obtain as much information as possible without having to be actively taught. Once allowed to handle food, they cook and form rice every day for years. It could be up to fifteen years before the chef considers the apprentice able to use the skills learned to begin practicing sushi on his own. Uncompromising as it may seem, this form of culinary training is what has made the Japanese art of sushi a global phenomenon.
Culinary Arts in Japan has been and, in many cases, still is formatted after the training of the samurai. Discipline, education and study, and a spotless wardrobe define some traits of the samurai tradition. And much like samurai tration, men have dominated Japan’s Culinary Arts since the beginning.
Japanese women rarely left the home and family to find work. They were never allowed to partake in the culinary arts. Women were expected to cook at home for their families and guests. Yet most restauranteurs thought that the soft-spoken female could not handle the intense training demanded of the chefs. Also, some believed that their warmer body temperatures and hands harmed the flavors of the fish. Others thought that women’s menstruation cycles altered their palates. This supposedly hindered their abilities to accurately create desired flavors. Taboos such as these have contributed to the gender separation in Japan.
The intensity of sushi training defines Japanese culinary pride. Still, we should consider other factors. Modern social trends are altering Japanese society. Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, chefs introduced new food customs into Japanese culture. Meat eating became common. Slowly, restaurants served fewer vegetarian dishes. In turn, they offered westernized beef and pork dishes with a Japanese flair. The majority of Japanese citizens appreciated these changes for a number of reasons. The changes are now staples of Japanese cuisine.
Gradually Japanese families dined out more often. Convenience stores and chain restaurants grew popular. Now, mechanized sushi production on conveyor belts competes with intimate, privately owned sushi restaurants. Fast-paced lifestyles demand speed. Japanese culture seeks to compete in the global economy. This affects the sushi industry. The traditional sushi experience consists of numerous courses, each prepared specifically for the guest by the sushi chef. Some restaurants seek to keep this tradition alive through technological means. Critics consider this a sign of deteriorating standards. Others accept the change as essential and fun. Either way, the horse has left the barn. No one can change what has already happened. Everyone must live with this brave new world of culinary experimentation.
Changes in preferred cuisine are not the only justification for shifting culinary focuses. The decline of professional sushi chefs signals another danger sign to traditional sushi culture. Japan’s aging work force is leading to an alarming exodus of chefs. Customarily, the eldest son follows in the father’s footsteps with the intention of superseding him. Sadly, fewer and fewer males have shown an interest in the sushi industry.
The traditional mentality that a job is a lifetime commitment to a single company is also changing. Many Japanese feel as though they are being stripped of their heritage. Female sushi chef Yumi Chiba notes, “Japan’s sushi culture is disappearing because many restaurants are going out of business. As a sushi chef, I want to do what I can to preserve this culture for future generations. I want the whole world to know what real sushi is like.”
In the past, the Japanese government enforced unwavering regulation of the culinary industry. These efforts caused problems. Regulation actually endangered the continuation of many original sushi practices. Male chefs tried to cling to the entire industry as it was. Now, they are hooked on the horns of a dilemma. Some ask for help in order to persevere. Others continue to follow rigid practices and face the threat of going out of business.
Japanese women were once unfairly denied participation in the culinary workforce. Now, they are leading the revival of old traditions. They’re bringing new life to the art during a global reemergence of passion for the culinary arts. For the first time, the Japanese government and populace want Japanese women to pursue jobs. Some of them are turning their affection for home cooking into careers.
New opportunities depend on location. Smaller Japanese cities and towns still suffer from comparatively rigid gender separation. Large cities like Tokyo see more women chefs moving into the workplace. Still, women often struggle to excel in these high-volume locations because they are viewed as inferiors, not professionals. They receive fewer promotions and get stuck in entry level labor positions.
Japan’s culinary scene still relies on small, privately owned eating establishments. These restaurants allow women to care for their guests as they would their own families. Many in the Japanese food and beverage industry see this as the essence of the female sushi chef movement. Japanese women can now put their own spin on an industry that held the “male only” label for centuries. The change began when male chefs allowed women to work sushi counters and interact with guests. Many thought that their calm demeanors would be welcomed. The male chefs still did not let the women prepare or handle food, though. Fortunately, the Japanese culture now bends to a new way of knowing. Young people are fighting to keep traditions alive in their own way.
In 2002, the Tokyo Sushi Academy opened. The school revolutionized the Japanese culinary scene. It offers introductory sushi courses that students can finish in several months. Decade-long apprenticeships don’t apply, here. Female attendance has reached approximately 20%, or more than double what it was when it opened. Japanese women gain background experience that will benefit them when they enter the workforce. Alumni Chef Chiba says, “The world is changing and, although late in the game, washoku and sushi restaurants are starting to catch up. If they don’t welcome women, they will have trouble finding experienced chefs to take over their businesses when they retire.”
Approximately 35,000 sushi chefs currently work in Japan. No one knows how many of them are women. Yet the number continues to grow as the movement for women chefs gains momentum. Granted, many male chefs dislike the changes. Still, Japanese women continue to energize the sushi world with new and exciting flair. Up-and-coming female chefs don’t want to be viewed as revolutionaries seeking to destroy the gender separations in Japanese culture. Rather, they revere the foundation that their country has built over centuries. They want to contribute to its preservation.
One Japanese woman has become an icon for working females. Yuki Chidui manages Japan’s first all-female staffed sushi restaurant, Nadeshiko. This alone breaks Japanese cultural norms. But Chidui and her staff didn’t stop there. They patiently tolerated mockery and criticism from men and women who thought a woman’s place is in the home. Meanwhile, the Nadeshiko women revitalized the face of modern sushi.
They began by venturing away from the traditional white garb of the sushi chef. The staff adopted a kimono style uniform fashioned with flower blossoms and colorful patterns. Their kimonos sport the motto “fresh and cute.” The Nadeshiko women create a welcoming atmosphere for their guests. They break the tradition of strict silence when preparing sushi by talking to customers. They smile and laugh while working. The women even call one another by their first names. This inviting ambiance has produced an expanding customer base. Nadeshiko pushed the culinary envelope in shaping a new and dynamic vision of Japanese sushi culture.
Japanese culinary traditions made sushi a global phenomenon. This delicate art flourished for centuries. Now, it has taken on a new flair in other countries that adopt different ingredients and flavors. Japanese women have integrated into sushi culture. They are a culinary staple of many grateful communities. With the support of the Japanese government, women are expected to make up approximately 30% of the workforce by 2020. This incredible change will improve the Japanese economy and alter cultural norms. Japanese women define a changing, thriving culture.
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Ruthie Poole holds a culinary degree and works as a chef in Colorado Springs, Colorado. She has taught healthy cooking and natural food classes at hospitals and schools and hopes to continue to educate others on the importance of preventative health care through food.
