The Japanese Knife Ceremony and Fish Fermentation: Remnants of the Distant Past
Caeden Polster Caeden Polster

The Japanese Knife Ceremony and Fish Fermentation: Remnants of the Distant Past

Hōchō shiki, and Narezushi. These two Japanese traditions, originating from around the Edo period and the 10th century respectively, have all been mostly lost to time. Narezushi is only practiced by a few remaining families that possess the recipe, who have been doing it for the past 400 years, and the Hōchō shiki, or Knife Ceremony, is now only practiced in rare special events at museums or cultural festivals. Both of these traditions are rarely seen anymore outside of extremely limited events, and the techniques and recipes are still kept secret or no longer exist. But why were these traditions forgotten, yet other traditions from the same time such as the tea ceremony are revered as pillars of Japanese culture and practiced very much to this day?

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