초록 열기/닫기 버튼
Today, Tokyo is one of the most Michelin-starred cities in the world, and this reputation for modern Japanese gastronomy can be traced back to the late Edo period. Ukiyo-e prints from the late Edo period richly depict information about famous restaurants in Edo. The Edo period (1603-1867) was a time of economic and cultural prosperity, marked by the significant development of a dining-out culture and the formation of a gourmet culture. While dining out was almost non-existent in the early Edo period, it gradually developed in the mid-period as the urban structure began to change. The emergence of soba restaurants, sushi restaurants, and tempura restaurants, along with the widespread use of hearths that allowed for the serving of hot food, contributed to the spread of the dining-out culture, playing an important role in forming the foundation of modern Japanese cuisine. This study explores the foods favored by the people of Edo through various sources, including the high-end restaurant ‘Yaosen’ in Edo, shopping guides from the Edo period, and publications that popularized one ingredient with a hundred recipes. Furthermore, it examines Edo's popular guideboard illustrations, which depicted high-end restaurants as one approached the venue. These guideboards reflect the diverse dining industry and its competition, suggesting a rating system similar to today's Michelin Guide. From this perspective, this study examines the enjoyment of gourmet food in Edo, as depicted in Japanese ukiyo-e, and reveals that this food culture has significantly contributed to and shaped the foundations of modern Japanese culinary traditions.
