Japanese vegetarian cooking workshop

Japanese vegetarian cooking workshop standard

The core of Japanese cuisine is formed of vegetables and fish dishes. For about 1000 years, Japan was a vegetarian country under the influence of Buddhism. And usurally seafoods had been consumed because Japan consists of islands. This is also one of the reason why Japanese didn't have habit of having livestocks.

Japanese Buddhist cuisine is so called "Shojin Ryori (精進料理)". Shojin ryori is the Japanese vegetarian cuisine known for meals that prepared without meat, fish, eggs and milk products under the Buddhist five precept that prohibit killing. Since Meiji period (from 1868), Japanese people also started to eat meat under the influence of Western culture. That is why Japanese meat dishes that are known in Western countries don't have long history. Some dishes are slightly adapted to western eating habits.

I learned Shojin cuisine from a Japanese monk when I was in Japan. In this workshop you learn how to make authentic Japanese vegetarian or vegan dishes. For vegans who only vegetables are allowed, we use vegetable stock. The seasoning / the broth is called Shojin broth that consist of kombu seaweed and shitake mushrooms. Of course we don't have to be a Buddhist, but I think the Shojin vegetarian cooking workshop is the most interesting Japanese cooking workshop.

Fish broth is possible to use for vegetarians who can eat fish. This workshop is not only for vegetarians, but also for people who have certain food allergies or who are just interested in healthy eating. The standard menu for the Basic Japanese vegetarian cooking workshop consists of:
- White rice

- 1 miso soup

- 2 side dishes

- 1 main course

More examples look at my instagram

* Maximum 7 people.

* The location is at my home in Utrecht.

* Changes in the number of participants can be communicated until three days before the workshop. Because of the purchase of ingredients. Then the price is based on the number of participants informed until 3 days before the workshop. If someone is unable to participate due to illness or other circumstances, the participants can prepare extra dishes and take it away for the absentee.

Basic Price

Specific requests and expensive ingredients will be required extra costs.

1 person: € 68.40 excludes tax. € 82.76 includes tax 21%.

2 persons to 6 persons: € 57.00 exclude tax per person. € 68.97 includes tax 21% per person.

Apply Workshop.
Workshop Aanvragen.

Japanese vegetarian rice or noodle dish workshop

You can learn how to make Japanese vegetarian rice or noodle dishes applying Japanese cooking techniques. The price is same with rice / noodle dish workshop.

- Rice dishes

- Noodle dishes

- Vegetarian Ramen: see Ramen page

* Maximum 4 (ramen) to 8 people (rice).

* The location is at my house in Utrecht.

* Changes in the number of participants are possible until three days before the workshop because of the purchase of ingredients. The price is based on the number of participants at the time of 3 days before the workshop. It is impossible to change the price if someone is unable to participate due to illness or other circumstances without notice. However participants can prepare extra dishes and take it away for the absentee.

Basic Price

Specific requests and expensive ingredients will be required extra costs.

1 person: € 68.40 excludes tax. € 82.76 includes tax 21%.

2 persons to 6 persons: € 57.00 exclude tax per person. € 68.97 includes tax 21% per person.

Apply Workshop.
Workshop Aanvragen.

Vegetarian ramen workshop

See Ramen workshop

Ramen workshop

Vegetarian Gyoza workshop

See Gyoza workshop

Gyoza workshop

Vegetarian Japanse curry workshop

Possible to make Japanese curry in 100% plant-based version using Shojin Dashi (Japanese vegetarian bouillon). The price is same with rice/noodle workshop. About Katsu curry (Japanese schnitzel on the top), extra cost will be required.

Apply Workshop

Vegetarian Bento or Kyaraben workshop

See Bento or Kyaraben workshop.

Bento workshop Kyaraben workshop

Gluten-free Japanese cooking workshop

Gluten-free Japanese cooking workshop is also possible. Or Japanese cooking workshop for people with allergies is also possible.
* Maximum 4 (noodles) to 10 people.

* The location is at my house in Utrecht.

* Changes in the number of participants are possible until three days before the workshop because of the purchase of ingredients. The price is based on the number of participants at the time of 3 days before the workshop. It is impossible to change the price if someone is unable to participate due to illness or other circumstances without notice. However participants can prepare extra dishes and take it away for the absentee.

Basic Price

Specific requests and expensive ingredients will be required extra costs.

1 person: € 72 excludes tax. € 87.12 includes tax 21%.

2 persons to 6 persons: € 60 exclude tax per person. € 72.6 includes tax 21% per person.

Apply Workshop.
Workshop Aanvragen.

Huiskamer restaurant voor vegetariërs en veganisten Utrecht

House restaurant of Shojin ryori(authentic Japanese vegetarian cuisine)

Want to eat result without workshop? You can choose house restaurant as well. Here is a house restaurant of authentic Japanese vegetarian cuisine cooked by a Japanese.

Go to website

Workshops and restaurant voucher

NL: Cadeaubonnen voor verschillende Japanse kookworkshops, manga workshop, Japans les en Japans huiskamerrestaurant. Geef een bijzondere cadeaubon aan een bijzonder persoon. De prijs is inclusief 21% btw en commissie voor het cadeaukaartbedrijf. De ontvanger van de cadeaubon kan vervolgens contact opnemen via dit contactformulier om een afspraak te maken voor de workshop of restaurant vermeld op de cadeaubon. Als het een cadeaubon betreft met enkel een bedrag vermeld, dan kan de ontvanger een workshop of diner kiezen overeenkomstig de vermelde prijs op de cadeaubon. De workshop en huiskamerrestaurant wordt gegeven in Utrecht op ongeveer 10 minuten loopafstand van het Centraal Station.

EN: Gift vouchers for various Japanese cooking workshops, manga workshops, Japanese lessons and a Japanese living room restaurant. Give a special gift card to a special person. The price includes 21% VAT and commission for the gift card company. The recipient can make a reservation via this contact form for the workshop or restaurant mentioned on the gift voucher. If a gift voucher states only amounts, the recipient can choose a workshop or restaurant according to the price stated on the voucher. The location is in Utrecht, about a 10-minute walk from Central Station.

Order voucher

More about Shojin Ryori

Buddhist cuisine is a vegetarian cooking based on a precept of “prohibit killing”. On 6th century, Buddhist cuisine was brought into Japan via China together with the introduction of Buddhism. It has settled into the Japanese way, and developed its own unique cooking style so called Shojin ryori. Shojin ryori is known for the meals prepared without animal products (meat, fish, eggs and milk products) under the Buddhist precept "prohibit killing". Foods derived from soybeans (tofu, miso, soy sauce), vegetable oils (sesame, rapeseed) were popularized in Japan as a result of their use in Shojin Ryori. Vegetables, especially soy beans are the main ingredients. Various vegetables are prepared according to the season due to enjoy seasonal foods. In addition to the ban on animal or fish products, traditional shojin ryori specifically avoid strong-smelling plants for example garlic, onions, shallot and leek as Gokun (Five Strong-smelling Vegetables). It is believed that Five Strong-smelling Vegetables disturb the calm-mind and stimulate instinctive desire.

The influx of the Zen Buddhism since the Kamakura period (13th century), it contributed to the development of Shojin Ryori. Shojin means "apply oneself diligently" or “devoting oneself", and Ryori means "cooking" or "cuisine". That is to say, to prepare Shojin Ryori itself is a part of practice of Buddhism.

This concept is developed by mainly Dogen, a Japanese Zen master (1200-1253). When Dogen was in China to study Zen, besides learning Zen he also learned the concept "Daily action including cooking and cleaning are also training". He preached this concept after he came back to Japan. More about Dogen, best to refer official site of his temple.

In Buddhism, Inga Oho (Retribution. the idea that a person is given bad luck caused by bad behaviour) is believed and because of the conception that all things of nature have life. However we have to eat something to live. Due to minimize sacrificing of life, Shojin ryori prohibits eating meats and it is considered virtue to make the most of vegetables and beans. To waste ingredients & foods means to sacrifice of life of ingredients that we ate.

In Japan we say "Itadakimasu" before eating. Literally "Itadakimasu" doesn't mean “born appétit" or "eet smakelijk". It means "we receive the food (life of ingredients)". We thanked to the food because we made to survive at the expense of other lives. Therefore the concept of shojin ryori is different from vegetarian cooking for healthy, diet or beauty reasons. Therefore the base of Shojin ryori is not only for diet or healthy eating. At first, "having feelings of gratitude to ingredients that gave us their life" is important. However over-expecting to enlighten by shojin -ryori or vegetarisme is not smart. The vegetarian in bad personality doesn't make sense. (Actually Hitler was a vegetarian). Nobody can be a holy person just by eating vegetables.

Shojin ryori influenced on Japanese cuisine for example Kaiseki ryori (A traditional Japanese multiple course meal). This is, so to say, Shojin ryori is the origin of Japanese cuisine. Standard Washoku composition (rice, miso soup, main dish and side dishes) has its roots in Shojin ryori. However Shojin ryori became in fashion as time passed, and people have been forgetting fundamentals of Shojin ryori, like “feelings of gratitude” or ”part of practice of Buddhism”. The present-say perception of Shojin Ryori, in general, refers to a vegetarian diet although this is only a narrow interpretation after considering the Buddhism background.

In Japan, of course the western style dishes gets popular in modern times especially after WW2 under American influence. Current popular Japanese dishes in western countries for example, teriyaki, teppanyaki or other meat or fatty Japanese dishes, are mostly arranged to western eating habit, and were founded after 20th century because Japanese didn’t eat meats until 1868. Even current Sushi was founded in 19th century in Edo (Tokyo). Ramen and Gyoza are originally Chinese foods, and then were localized in Japanese style mainly by repatriates from China after WW2.

Nevertheless, Shojin Ryori is recognized as one of that ideal style for vegetarians in western countries. The idea of macrobiotics is drawn from Zen Buddhism, and ingredients are close to Shojin ryori. However Shojin ryori come to attract attention not only for health- reason but also the cooking technique. Because the technique of Shojin ryori is like an alchemy that possible to cook wide variety of dishes within limited ingredients. Actually it is easy to use animal products to create umami and depth of flavour. But Shojin ryori is a rich cuisine that uses neither meat nor fish. By multiplying the flavour of the soybean products, seaweeds and other vegetables, we can create dishes that are deeply satisfying.

Shindo Fuji

Shojin ryori is less strict than macrobiotic however "Shindo Fuji" or "Shindo Funi" is also important for Shojin ryori. Shindo Fuji is originally Buddhism words "inseparability of body/mind and geographical circumstances". At cooking-words or macrobiotic, it means Prefer local and seasonal perishable foods from as close to home as possible because local and seasonal ingredients are best for us. For example, imported ingredients often contain chemical preservative to export to far location. (Importing foods from Japan or Asia takes 3 month by ship to Europe. Dried products, alcohols, frozen products are ok but not sure about the safety of pickled products coloured in vivid). It's better to use local fresh ingredients more than imported foods as much as possible. Therefore I cook local ingredients in authentic Japanese style.

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Japanese vegan cooking workshop
(Shojin Ryori) by Japanese instructor