Product Description

Fine Art Of Japanese Food Arrangement is a Kodansha International publication.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #325496 in Books
• Published on: 2003-04-02
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 168 pages

Review

"Americans are used to heaping plates, but Japanese food is presented in a minimalist style and has been a profound influence on nouvelle cuisine starting in the 1970s. The Fine Art of Japanese Food Arrangement explains the rules, which depend not only on the kind of food and type of vessel used, but also on the seasons. Food, the book explains, is usually arranged to honor 'the beauty of empty space' in patterns called flat, bowl, piled up, jumbled, nestled, scattered, even cedar tree, a kind of pyramid, all diagrammed in the book. To prevent dull symmetry, pieces of food look best in odd numbers; sashimi is always arranged with three, five or seven slices. The book includes many photos of utensils and containers, as well as their history." -The New York Times
"Divided into four sections-seasonal food arrangements, function and beauty, food and utensils-The Art of Japanese Food Arrangement not only explores the meaning behind the arrangements, but also the serving dishes on which the food is placed...beautifully illustrated." -Ceramics Monthly Magazine
"Whether you look at this book from a culinary, artistic, or aesthetic point of view, the information is unmatched. Tsuchiya lovingly explains the principles behind a Japanese meal. He describes the methods of arranging food for each course, for both everyday meals and special occasions. The reader will learn how to time the serving of food so that hot and cold dishes appear at the appropriate times; how to select vessels, making sure that convenience and harmony are respected while following the convention that no two bowls of the same shape or style should ever be used in succession. Elegantly photographed...as much an art book as a manual for the presentation of Japanese cuisine." -Persimmon Magazine
"This book remains the foremost and best book of Japanese food arrangement in English....an excellent book." -Ikebana Magazine
"Lavishly photographed and with many diagrams showing the different styles of food arrangement, this book is a fascinating introduction to an integral aspect of Japanese cuisine." -The Japan Times

About the Author
Yoshio Tsuchiya is a Kodansha International author.

Customer Reviews

A reprint of a classic
We bought this fabulous volume in hard cover in Osaka in 1986. At a much higher price. Not only are the food arrangements gorgeous but the utensils are major museum pieces. The best of Japanese ceramics, lacquer, bamboo, beautifully photographed.

(We are neither Japanese nor potters--just people who find beauty an important renewal in our troublesome.)