An Invitation to the World of Shojin

Team Shojin to hold events introducing ‘True’ Japan
For two months starting January 9th, Team Shojin will tour California and New York to promote a world of traditional Japanese mastery and skill still unknown outside of Japan.

With Japanese food ‘was-hoku’ winning a place on UNESCO’s Intangible World Heritage list, it is hard to ignore the rise in global interest surrounding Japanese dietary culture. However, Japan itself has departed from its roots and shifted towards an unhealthier, mass-produced dietary lifestyle. The true ‘was-hoku’ diet is now lost in the noise of consumerism, and authentic Japanese cuisine is a dying culture.

Shojin cuisine is also one such tradition that has been neglected. Rooted in Zen philosophy, it is considered to be healthy for both the mind and body; yet it has lost out to consumerism and is still relatively unknown outside of Japan.

Various experts and masters of Japanese cuisine were brought together to address this issue -all of them united by a deep understanding and respect for Shojin philosophy. This is Team Shojin.

Team Shojin will embark on a “pilgrimage” to increase awareness of the true, authentic Japanese dietary customs. Through a number of events, talks and tastings, taking place in both California and New York, they will introduce the heart and philosophy of Shojin cuisine and the Zen lifestyle.

Team Shojin is headed by Shojin cuisine chef Toshio Tanahashi and composed of nine corporations, each representing a basic ingredient of Shojin cuisine. The nine members and the ingredients they represent are the following: Akita Seishu ( rice wine), Ishimago Honten (soy saucejmiso), Okui Kaiseido (dried kelp), Kano Agriculture (sugar), Muchimasu (salt), Marusho Refinery (vinegar), Maruhachi Tea Company (tea), Maruhon Pottery (mortar).

This team is exceptionally unique, in that most of the producers involved have been established for well over a century. Each participant has retained the first-rate skill, knowledge, and tradition passed on from their forebears from decades ago. Furthermore, Team Shojin has received government backing as a significant contributor to the advancement of the “Cool Japan” brand, and will look to introduce the unexplored aspects ofJapan through its events.

In an era when globalization is flattening cultural diversity across the globe, it is now more important than ever to return to the roots of local culture and question what is truly authentic in a world of mass-production. Team Shojin will ask these very questions and reawaken the possibilities of a wholesome and organic lifestyle in a society that dictates otherwise.

For further information please contact:
Shojin Consortium Headquarters

Information Workshop Co.
Address:
4F COCON KARASUMA, Suiginya-cho 620,
Shijo-Sagaru Karasuma-dori, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto 600-8411, Japan

Headed by: Toshiko Asai / Yuko Hioki
tel: +81-75-353 -7725  fax: +81-75-353-7724
e-mail: info@info-works.jp