Gratitude and Reverence in Japanese Dining

Traditionally, Japanese people attached significance to meals as part of a sacred rite, influenced by the beliefs of Shintoism, which holds that life or divine spirits reside in everything through the influence of nature worship. Even today, before starting to eat any food, it is habitual to say, "Itadakimasu" (Let us eat), signifying our gratitude for the lives that have been sacrificed to become our nourishment, as well as expressing appreciation for all those involved in the laborious process leading up to serving the dishes. This tradition was also originally influenced by the concept of Buddhism known as "Engi" (Dependent Origination), which religiously asserts that everything, including human beings, exists in a conditioned state and is dependent on something else. When concluding a meal, we say, "Gochiso sama" (Thank you for the meal), once again expressing our gratitude.

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