…Seeks wider cultural, business cooperation

Japan is using its traditional food culture to deepen people-to-people relations with Nigeria, while seeking to expand broader cultural and business cooperation between the two countries.

The Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Hideo Suzuki, stated this in Abuja on Saturday at a Washoku Demonstration Event organised to introduce Nigerians to the traditions, techniques and philosophy underpinning Japanese cuisine.

Suzuki said food offered an important avenue for Nigerians to gain a better understanding of Japanese culture, noting that Japanese cuisine remained relatively unfamiliar in Nigeria despite the growing relationship between both countries.

“Japanese food culture is not that prevailing in Nigeria. It is relatively unknown so far,” the ambassador said, adding that his objective was “to get more Nigerians to know better about our food culture.”

He said the promotion of Japanese food culture was part of a broader effort to strengthen understanding between the peoples of Nigeria and Japan.

Washoku, he explained, goes beyond individual Japanese dishes such as sushi, tempura and ramen to encompass a body of knowledge, customs and practices associated with food, including respect for nature, seasonality and communal life.

The significance of the tradition was recognised internationally in 2013, when washoku was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Suzuki said one of the defining characteristics of washoku was its close connection with Japan’s four seasons, with changes in season influencing the ingredients, colours, flavours and occasions associated with food.

He explained that spring was associated with new beginnings and fresh, colourful foods, while summer encouraged lighter and refreshing dishes. Autumn was linked to harvest and appreciation of nature, while winter featured important traditions, particularly Japanese New Year celebrations and the preparation of osechi.

According to him, some traditional foods prepared during these occasions also carry cultural meanings associated with health, prosperity and longevity.

A major feature of Saturday’s demonstration was dashi, a traditional Japanese stock that serves as a foundation for flavour in many Japanese dishes.

The ambassador said the chef would prepare dashi using kombu, an edible kelp, and katsuobushi, or dried bonito flakes.

He explained that the two ingredients produce umami, one of the characteristic tastes associated with Japanese cuisine.

“These ingredients contribute to a taste in Japanese cuisine called umami. It is a deep and lingering savoury taste,” he said.

Unlike a sauce intended to dominate a dish, he explained, dashi supports the other ingredients and helps bring their flavours together.

For the ambassador, the preparation illustrates a wider principle of Japanese cooking , creating harmony and balance from relatively simple ingredients.

The demonstration therefore provided participants with more than an introduction to particular Japanese dishes, exposing them to the philosophy and traditions behind the cuisine.

A Japanese cultural official at the event, Teramoto Saki, further highlighted similarities between Nigerian and Japanese food cultures, particularly the use of some common ingredients.

She noted that ingredients such as okra, eggplant and shrimp could be found in both countries, although they were prepared differently.

“Nigerians also like food. We also have a variety of food,” she said, explaining that the similarities offered an opportunity for Nigerians to understand Japanese cuisine from a familiar point of reference.

“Sometimes we use the same ingredients, like okra or eggplants or shrimps, but we cook them in different ways,” she said.

Saki said the purpose of the demonstration was to help Nigerians understand “how Japanese cook” and “how Japanese eat”, while encouraging greater cultural interaction between the two countries.

She also explained how seasonal changes shape Japanese culinary traditions, with summer foods often associated with refreshment and restoring energy, while autumn cuisine reflects the harvest and the use of seasonal produce.

Beyond food and cultural diplomacy, Suzuki linked Japan’s engagement with Nigeria to expanding economic and private-sector cooperation.

He said Japan’s relationship with Nigeria was not limited to official development assistance, stressing that Japanese companies were increasingly showing interest in the Nigerian market.

“We are doing everything, not only the official development aid, but also in the business sector,” he said.

The ambassador said his responsibilities included helping Japanese and Nigerian businesses identify opportunities for collaboration and facilitating stronger commercial relationships.

“In my capacity as ambassador, I’m expected to help them and facilitate more collaboration,” he said.

The food demonstration thus served as both a cultural exchange and part of a wider effort to bring Nigerians and Japanese closer through areas of shared interest.

Suzuki said he hoped such engagements would continue to support stronger interaction and cooperation between the two countries.

The Abuja event brought together participants to watch the preparation of Japanese dishes, learn about seasonal food traditions and taste elements of washoku, offering a practical introduction to a culinary tradition that Japan has increasingly used as an instrument of cultural diplomacy.

inue to support stronger interaction and cooperation between the two countries.

 

The Abuja event brought together participants to watch the preparation of Japanese dishes, learn about seasonal food traditions and taste elements of washoku, offering a practical introduction to a culinary tradition that Japan has increasingly used as an instrument of cultural diplomacy.