By Kate Cohen
Have you ever heard the expression “We eat with our eyes first”?
The philosophy behind it is we experience our food visually the moment it’s set in front of us. That’s why the way it looks is almost as important as the way it tastes.
If you’ve ever enjoyed Japanese cuisine, you may have noticed how colorful the food on your plate can be.
That bright and beautiful aesthetic isn’t a coincidence; it’s honoring the Japanese culinary principle of Goshiki.
Let’s dive into the fascinating world of color in Japanese cuisine.
What is Goshiki?
When it comes to Japanese cuisine, the number five is incredibly important.
Gokan is the importance of including all five senses (taste, touch, sight, sound, and scent) in a culinary experience.
Goho is the five basic cooking methods (cutting, simmering, grilling, steaming, and deep-frying) in Japanese cuisine.
Gomi is the inclusion of the five known tastes (sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami) in each dish.
Goshiki is the theory that a dish with the representation of five colors – red, yellow, blue/green, white, and black – is a more visually appealing and therefore more enjoyable meal.
In theory, the perfect Japanese dish would have a balance of gokan, goho, gomi, and goshiki.
The colors in goshiki can be represented by ingredients as well as serving dishes and garnishes.
What Do the Colors of Goshiki Represent?
The colors valued in Goshiki aren’t random. Each serves a unique purpose to enhance a diner’s experience of a dish.
Red and yellow are believed to stimulate the appetite, visually intriguing your mind and your stomach in preparation of an exciting meal.
Blue and green evoke refreshing feelings, further enhanced by the use of fresh and flavorful ingredients.
White represents cleanliness while black creates a sharp contrast, hence why you’ll often see your meal plated on black or white dishes.
Common Colorful Ingredients
There are plenty of ways to add color to a dish. A variety of common Japanese ingredients are known for their distinctive color, making them the perfect addition to a recipe.
Japanese cuisine frequently features seafood, which contributes a wide spectrum of colors for composition.
Take, for example, fresh tuna, which comes in a variety of shades of rich pinks and reds.
Octopus adds a fun, playful purple to a dish, while salmon adds a beautiful hue of orange.
Green can be added through fresh vegetables like cucumber and avocado, or in the form of sage green wasabi. Seaweed adds a variety of shades of green to sushi rolls or vibrant kaiso salad.
White rice offers a clean, neutral palette to help bolder colors pop, and contrasting black can be added with sprinkles of black sesame seeds or drizzles of dark eel sauce.
It isn’t coincidence that many Japanese dishes feature a combination of these colorful ingredients. Instead, it’s a display of the understanding and appreciation of goshiki from a talented chef.
How Goshiki Benefits Your Health
One of the best ways to incorporate the colors of goshiki is to use fresh ingredients like fruits and vegetables.
Nutritionists and scientists have coined the phrase “eat the rainbow” when it comes to maintaining a healthy diet. That’s because brightly colored fruits and veggies contain an array of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals key to staying healthy.
Since goshiki utilizes fresh ingredients that intentionally span the rainbow, you can order with confidence knowing your meal can help fuel your body with balanced nutrition.
Experience a New World of Color at Shogun Japanese Steakhouse and Sakura Sushi
Now that you know what to look for, head to Shogun Japanese Steakhouse and Sakura Sushi to experience goshiki for yourself.
Our chefs prepare every delicious meal with fresh, colorful ingredients and masterful skill.
We hope to see you soon around one of our famous teppanyaki tables for a meal that looks as fantastic as it tastes!
View this post on Instagram
