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“Japan’s Cuisine, Nature, and Wisdom”- Exploring the Past and Future of Japanese Cuisine at the National Museum of Nature and Science

By on February 4, 2020

In 2013, Washoku or traditional Japanese cuisine has been added to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage raising the country’s global recognition.

In a rare special exhibition, Ueno National Museum of Nature and Science puts the spotlight on 250 genres of food in specimens and videos.

Unlike a typical food exhibition, the exhibit will attempt to explain from a scientific and historical angle,  a range of ingredients that produce a distinct umami (translated as pleasant taste) unique to Japanese cuisine. (Umami was first identified by a Tokyo professor, Kikunae Ikeda, who found that glutamate enhanced the palatability of seaweed broth from kombu which we now refer to as dashi.)

You would be surprised how much influence nature has in the foods of Japan and how some ingredients and technology that make up Japan’s cuisine are, in fact,  from other countries. 

When: March 14 (Sat)-June 14 (Sun) 2020
Where: National Museum of Nature and Science
Address: 7-20 Ueno Park, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Opening hours: 9: 00-17: 00 (9: 00-20: 00 on Fridays and Saturdays)
From April 26 (Sun.) and 29 (Wed./holiday), May 3 (Sun./holiday) to 5 (Tue./holiday), 9: 00-20: 00
From April 27 (Mon), 28 (Tue), 30 (Thu) and May 6 (Wed, closed) from 9:00 to 18:00
Admission: 30 minutes before closing time
Closed: Monday, May 7 (Thu) and May 19 (Tue)
Open on March 30 (Mon), April 27 (Mon), May 4 (Mon / Holiday), 18 (Mon), June 8 (Mon)
Opening hours and days off are subject to change.
Admission fee:
■ On-the-day ticket
General / University students: 1,700 yen (tax included) / Elementary, middle and high school students: 600 yen (tax included)
■ Advance ticket: 1,500 yen (tax included) / Elementary, middle and high school students: 500 yen (tax included)
* Normal advance tickets are sold from February 14 (Fri) to March 13 (Fri) 2020
■ Weekday after 3 tickets
General / University student 1,500 yen (tax included) / Elementary / Middle / High school student 500 yen (tax included)
* Sold at the venue on weekdays (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays) after 15:00 and limited to that day
■ Group ticket for small, middle and high school students
500 yen (tax included) per person
* Sold at the venue on the day. Limited to simultaneous entry of 2 or more small, middle and high school students
* Free for preschoolers
* Free for disabled people (muse present certificate) and one caregiver

 

About Ted Tanaka