[The Japanese Culture of Enjoying Meals Alone]

The sweltering summer has ended, and the cool, comfortable autumn has arrived. In Japan, autumn is associated with many enjoyable activities under its pleasant climate, such as “autumn for reading,” “autumn for sports,” and “autumn for art.” Among these, what many people look forward to most is surely “autumn for appetite.” Numerous seasonal ingredients reach their peak this time of year—new rice, chestnuts, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, Pacific saury, apples—and just thinking about what to cook with them makes your stomach rumble. Summer meals often felt like “nutritional replenishment” to beat the heat, fueled by the mindset of “I must survive this summer!” But autumn meals allow you to fully savor the colors, aromas, and flavors of seasonal ingredients, letting you approach your food with a sense of calm.

This season makes meals even more enjoyable, offering various dining styles: gathering with friends or colleagues, savoring a slow meal with family, or quietly dining alone. Japan has a well-established “solo dining” culture, with ramen shops, yakiniku restaurants, hot pot spots, and soba noodle houses where people can easily dine alone. Many Japanese eat by themselves. This Japanese ease with eating alone, often surprising to foreigners, made me wonder about its roots.

Going back over 1000 years to the Heian period, it's said commoners already ate meals served on individual square trays. By the Kamakura period, the “meimeizen” emerged: individually portioned dishes served on small personal stands. This dining style persisted as a common form of eating in Japan for a long time afterward. There was also a style called “hakozan,” where one's own set of dishes and chopsticks was stored in a box when not in use, and this box served as a tray during meals. Entering the Meiji era, Western-style tables were introduced, and the style of multiple people gathering around a single dining table became widespread. Then, from the late Meiji to the Taisho era, the appearance of the “chabudai” (low table) made gathering around a table with multiple people the mainstream form.

Thus, while dining together at a table has increased in recent years in Japan, the tradition of individually served meals has developed over a long period. This resonates with the way Goro-san in “Kodoku no Gourmet” freely engages with the food before him at his own pace. For many Japanese, “eating” and “alone” are naturally linked, and this mindset likely influences perceptions of eating alone. Even in modern Japanese households, where families often gather around the table, the practice of using one's own chopsticks and rice bowl, with everyone serving themselves from shared dishes, persists. This suggests the mindset of “eating = individual” remains deeply ingrained.

Research reveals that Japan's “solo dining” culture is actually an extension of a long-standing tradition. When you sit alone, quietly facing the food before you, your senses seem sharper than usual. You can enjoy the meal with all five senses, not just taste and aroma. This autumn, why not indulge in gourmet pleasures to your heart's content, just like Goro-san? When visiting the restaurants Goro-san explored, please stop by our showroom. You're sure to find the perfect tools and tableware to enjoy gourmet meals at home.

Showroom Information
https://www.shokunin.com/en/showroom/

References
https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/cookeryscience/48/3/48_219/_pdf
https://www.kabuki-bito.jp/special/knowledge/tepco-life/post-life-02/3/