Giving Thanks for Food

I show you our school lunch menu for Friday;

Katemeshi (Mixed Rice with Vegetable), Eggplant Soup with Sesame, Grilled Pacific Saury, and Milk.
Food-o-meter- 8/10
Health rating- 7/10
Bites- unknown
Courses- Rice, soup , 1dish
Price- JPY234yen (Approx. US$2.9 ￡1.8 )
Pieces of hair- 0

And Another dietician sent me a menu for Martha's projects;

Rice, Satsuma-Jiru (Chicken Soup which is local dishes from Kagoshima region), Deep -fried Flying Fish, Simmered Konjak and Vegetable. and Milk.

Oh. I got one more picture from another dietician..

Rice, Seasoning for rice, Simmered Striped Dried Radish and Hijiki seaweed, Fried Salmon with Cheese, Cucumber with Chili sauce, and Milk. Mustard Spinach is grown local.

It is the final day for me to appear in NeverSecond blog. Therefore, today I would like to talk about giving thanks for our food.

Before starting a meal at home and school , Japanese people say "Itadakimasu."
Although "Itadakimasu" is often translated into English as "God bless you," it contains an expression of gratitude for the person who cooked the meal, however it does not have any religious connotations.

But I like to study comparative culture about giving thanks for food based on each belief in the world.

The above kanji (Chinese letter) chant is called "Gokan-no-ge". It is to giving thanks for one's food. Buddhist verses to chant before eating. It is mentioned;

First, let us reflect on our own work and the effort of those who brought us this food.
Second, let us be aware of the quality of our deeds as we receive this meal.
Third, what is most essential is the practice of mindfulness, which helps us to transcend greed, anger and delusion.
Fourth, we appreciate this food which sustains the good health of our body and mind.
Fifth, in order to continue our practice for all beings we accept this offering.


When I first heard the second term, I have reflected on what others have done for us. However, I have a question myself. What am I doing for others? Am I pulling our weight? Is this food being put to good use by sustaining me? It was heavy for me.

Let’s see a few European painting.

Daniele Crespi: San Carlo Borromeo at Supper､1628

St. Carlo Borromeo devote himself to a life of poverty. He is reading the bible in tears. There is a “bread” and a bottle of water. But He does not pick it up. He is the paragon of believer. There are many masterpiece art featured meal in Europe. Because meals do not act only to satisfy the appetite simply, but also had a religious and spiritual meaning.

On the other hand, there is a funny painting like this.

Pieter Bruegel the Elder: The Land of Cockayne, 1567

It is a very famous painting of Bruegel the Elder. You can see so many foods in this painting. I like to find allegory or meaning. Religious manner of diet is included also. I think it is one of dietary education.

The traditional faith of Japan is animism and nature worship. We can see a lot of agricultural rite.

"Otaue" is one of the Rice Planting Festival of Shinto shline. It is an ancient event praying for a rich rice harvest. called a celebration in advance. Farmer play a role of rice-planting in the precincts of shinto shrine.

Another "Otaue" (rice planting) also organized by shinto shrines. Saotome (rice‐planting girl) set out rice plants in the fields of a shrine. Tanokami (deity of rice fields and harvests) is a deity (Shinto religion) that Japanese agricultural people believe watches over a rich or poor harvest and brings about a bumper crop of rice. Because the Shinto religion was founded on beliefs in the deities of rice cropping, such as Tanokami, rice has been considered to be a most valuable food.

Last month, I went to see a rainmaking ritual held on the once every four years when the Summer Olympics roll around. Three hundred men carry a 36-meter-long gigantic dragon that weighs 3 tons made of bamboo and straw, bravely parade the 2-kilometer-long road from a shrine in the district to a pond, and pray for rain and good harvest there.

Actually said, I am taking part in the rice trust system every year. And harvest season has come.

Our rice harvest is planned for September 23 on Sunday.
Rice cultivation in Japan requires farming villagers to cooperate in planting and harvesting during specific time frames. Now we are also inviting foreign participants for harvesting.

If you are interested in rice harvesting, please tell me. You can see Mount Fujiyama, also from the rice field in Yamanashi. To thank the participants, each person will be given rice.

In this way, I savored the joy of harvest and food. I reflect on our own work and the effort of those who brought us food.

Outdoor drum bath is wonderful after farming.

How do you do for reflection?

Lastly, I have enjoyed talking with you and I really appreciate meeting wonderful people and having great experience here. Arigato gozaimashita.

If you enjoy my post here, please help to Martha’ Project. Maybe it is also giving thanks for food, I think. ;-)

Oh. I got so many vote and comments for the school lunch contest in 2011.
Thank you very much again.


Winner of: #6 WAKAYAMA,
Second Place: #9 KOCHI
Special Award 1: #8 KAGAWA
Special Award 2: #12 GIFU

VEG, how do you know that!? If the world championship of school lunch will be held, which would you like to do judge or contestant?

I look forward to seeing you again.
Never Second?
Oh... Don't mention it again.

Ciao.

Doni