Food & Drink
Shojin Ryori
精進料理しょうじんりょうりshōjin ryōriDevotion in the kitchen: vegetables, tofu and seasonal restraint
Shōjin ryōri is the vegetarian cuisine of Japanese Buddhist temples, made without meat, fish or, traditionally, pungent vegetables such as garlic and onions. Shaped by Zen monastic rules, it is the most reliable traditional way to eat Japanese food without animal products.
Shōjin means devotion or diligence in Buddhist practice, and shōjin ryōri is food prepared as part of that practice. Buddhism discourages taking life, and from the Kamakura period, Zen monks returning from China brought monastic cooking that used soybeans, grains, vegetables and seaweed in place of animal foods. The Zen master Dōgen, founder of Eihei-ji in present-day Fukui Prefecture, wrote the Tenzo kyōkun (Instructions for the Cook) in 1237, which treats cooking as a form of meditation and remains a foundational text.
Temple cuisine had a large influence on Japanese cooking as a whole. Techniques for making tofu, yuba and wheat gluten, the use of kombu and shiitake stock, and the ideal of balancing flavours, colours and methods passed from temples into kaiseki and home cooking.
Principles
Shōjin ryōri excludes meat, fish and usually eggs. Traditionally it also avoids the five pungent vegetables (gokun), including garlic, onion, leek and chives, which were thought to excite the passions. Dashi is made from kombu, dried shiitake or toasted soybeans instead of bonito. Dairy was not part of traditional Japanese cooking and does not appear.
A meal aims to balance five flavours (sweet, sour, salty, bitter and spicy), five colours (green, yellow, red, white and black) and five cooking methods (raw, simmered, grilled, fried and steamed). Ingredients are seasonal and nothing is wasted: peels, stems and trimmings are used in other dishes. In monasteries, meals are eaten in silence from nested bowls, after reciting verses that include the five reflections on food.
Gokun
五葷gokunThe five pungent vegetables traditionally avoided in temple cooking.
Tenzo
典座tenzoThe monk responsible for the kitchen in a Zen monastery, a senior and respected role.
- 応量器ōryōki
Nested set of bowls used by Zen monks for formal meals.
Gokan no ge
五観の偈gokan no geFive reflections recited before eating, on the effort behind the food and one's worthiness to receive it.
Dishes and ingredients
A formal shōjin meal is served on individual trays with rice, soup and several small dishes. Many ingredients were developed to provide protein and texture without meat, and some were designed to resemble meat or fish.
- 胡麻豆腐goma-dōfu
Silky block of ground sesame set with kudzu starch, a signature of Kōyasan.
- 高野豆腐kōya-dōfu
Freeze-dried tofu simmered in kombu and shiitake stock.
Fu
麩fuWheat gluten, fresh (nama-fu) or dried, used in soups and simmered dishes.
- 湯葉yuba
Soy milk skin, eaten fresh or dried.
Ganmodoki
がんもどきganmodokiFried tofu and vegetable patties; the name means 'mock goose'.
Nimono
煮物nimonoSeasonal vegetables simmered in kombu stock with soy sauce and mirin.
Where to eat shojin ryori
The most immersive way is to stay at a shukubō, a temple lodging, where dinner and breakfast are shōjin ryōri and guests may join morning prayers. Kōyasan, the mountain monastery town of Shingon Buddhism in Wakayama and part of the Kii Mountains World Heritage Site, has dozens of shukubō. In Kyoto, several Zen temples and restaurants near them serve shōjin meals, and Eihei-ji in Fukui offers retreats that include temple food.
Fucha ryōri, the Chinese-style temple banquet of the Ōbaku school, is a related tradition served at Manpuku-ji in Uji and a few other places.
- 高野山Kōya-san
Temple town founded by Kūkai in the ninth century, with many temple lodgings.
- 宿坊shukubō
Temple lodging for pilgrims and visitors.
- 永平寺Eihei-ji
Head temple of the Sōtō Zen school, founded by Dōgen in 1244.
- 普茶料理fucha ryōri
Chinese-style vegetarian temple banquet shared at one table.
Shojin ryori today
Outside temples, shōjin ryōri is served by specialist restaurants and increasingly sought by vegetarian and vegan visitors. The traditional cuisine is plant-based, but diners with strict requirements should still ask, since modern restaurants may use bonito stock in some dishes or add eggs or dairy. Temple meals are usually served at fixed times and often require booking in advance.
Frequently asked questions
Is shojin ryori vegan?
Traditional shōjin ryōri uses no meat, fish, eggs or dairy, so it is generally vegan. Restaurants outside temples may deviate, so it is worth confirming when booking.
Does shojin ryori contain garlic or onion?
Traditionally no. Temple cooking avoids the five pungent vegetables, including garlic, onion and leek, which suits some religious diets as well.
Where can I try shojin ryori?
Temple lodgings at Kōyasan, Zen temples and specialist restaurants in Kyoto, and temples such as Eihei-ji in Fukui are the best-known places.
How is shojin ryori different from kaiseki?
Kaiseki is a multi-course meal that uses fish and sometimes meat. It developed from the tea ceremony and was influenced by temple cooking, while shōjin ryōri remains strictly plant-based.
Related
Sources
- 1.Japan National Tourism Organization – Official travel guide (opens in a new tab) — JNTO
- 2.Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range (opens in a new tab) — UNESCO World Heritage Centre
- 3.うちの郷土料理 (opens in a new tab) — 農林水産省 (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries)