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Shojin Ryouri (Japanese Traditional Vegan Buddhist Cuisine) Cooking Class at Jokoku Temple Akasaka Teran (Tokyo, Japan)

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Tokyo vegan cooking classes

When I was planning my trip back to Tokyo, I specifically wanted to take a Shojin Ryouri (Japanese traditional vegan Buddhist cuisine) cooking class, and found the Teran class online. Teran is located in Jokokuji Temple in Akasaka, Tokyo. It is a small temple, but it has been around for 350 years. 

Shojin Cuisine (Japanese Traditional Vegan Buddhist Cuisine) Cooking Class at Jokoku Temple Akasaka Teran (Tokyo, Japan)
Teran, the Shojin Ryouri cooking class is held in a house within the property of the Jokokuji Temple.

Shojin Cuisine (Japanese Traditional Vegan Buddhist Cuisine) Cooking Class at Jokoku Temple Akasaka Teran (Tokyo, Japan)
Masami Asao is the wife of the head priest of Jokokuji Temple. She is a certified nutritionist and teaches Shojin Ryouri out of Teran. She has classes during weekdays and weekends and also offers private classes, which is one of the reasons why I chose Teran. I decided to take one private class and one of her regular classes. She is a very sweet lady with a wealth of knowledge. I was very happy to have found her through just a Google search.

I took her class in Japanese but she also teaches foreigners and comes to New York once every year to teach, so if you are in New York, you are lucky and I would definitely recommend taking one of her classes. I will keep you posted on the class dates, but I believe she is teaching in April 2018 in New York. She also has a youtube channel she recently started, where she posts recipe videos, so check out her youtube channel too! 

We started with the history of Shojin Ryouri to how to plate in the proper Shojin Ryouri manner. Shojin Ryouri came to Japan from China as Buddhist Temple cuisine during the 6th century. Even though on Teran’s website, Shojin Ryouri is described as vegetarian because of the use of some diary, there was no use of diary or eggs in any of the recipes we made. I was happy I took a private class with her first, because I was able to ask a lot of questions regarding Shojin Ryouri without worrying about stalling the class for the other classmates. 

Everything is plated in Japanese red lacquerware and each type of plate has its own specific placement. Look at Ms. Masami’s beautiful red lacquerware collection!

Shojin Cuisine (Japanese Traditional Vegan Buddhist Cuisine) Cooking Class at Jokoku Temple Akasaka Teran (Tokyo, Japan)
After the lecture, we moved to her kitchen for the hands on cooking class. If you learn how to cook Japanese food in general, you always start with the introduction to how to make dashi (stock), so it was no surprise we started with dashi 101. Traditionally, dashi is either simmering or soaking the following ingredients in water; a combination or single use of bonito flakes, dried small sardines, dried kelp, dried shiitake, etc. In Shojin Ryouri, dried kelp and dried shiitake are used to keep it plant-based. Dried kelp and/or dried shiitake is soaked in water overnight to create dashi. Then the reconstituted kelp and shiitake is removed. Dashi can be used right away for cooking or be stored in a container and kept in the fridge until the time of use, and use it as needed. If you don’t have time to soak overnight, you can heat up the dried kelp or dried shiitake in water over low to medium heat and bring it to a gentle simmer. Never boil or use high heat during this process, as you will not get the best flavor out of the kelp and shiitake.

Shojin Cuisine (Japanese Traditional Vegan Buddhist Cuisine) Cooking Class at Jokoku Temple Akasaka Teran (Tokyo, Japan)
After the dashi demo, we made about 4 different sides, rice and soup each day. 

Shojin Cuisine (Japanese Traditional Vegan Buddhist Cuisine) Cooking Class at Jokoku Temple Akasaka Teran (Tokyo, Japan)
Day 1 was apple and spinach tossed in tahini sauce, tofu stir fry with 5 kinds of veggies, lotus root kinpira (savory and sweet stir fry with a kick of chili), deep fried Japanese taro tossed in sweet miso sauce, accompanied with white rice and miso soup, and a small serving of pickles. Everything was delicious! I loved that each side had very different flavors from sweet to savory, and that the whole meal was very well thought out. 

Shojin Cuisine (Japanese Traditional Vegan Buddhist Cuisine) Cooking Class at Jokoku Temple Akasaka Teran (Tokyo, Japan)
On day 2, we got to make one of Shojin Ryouri’s most iconic recipe, sesame tofu. Now, the name is miss-leading because it is named tofu, but it is not a tofu, as in there is no soy usage. It is made with toasted sesame seeds, kuzu (arrowroot), and water. It was named tofu because of its appearance, but it has a mochi like texture, not tofu. This recipe has been made the same way for 800 years! Yes, you heard it right. You get to try the exact same recipe, made by the exact same method from 800 years ago. You don’t get to do that too often.

Now the kicker is, this recipe requires a lot of elbow grease, and I mean a LOT! That is because you need to grind the toasted sesame seeds by hand until it thoroughly releases its oil, which takes about an average of 40-50 minutes. Yes, this is no joke. See, Buddhist cuisine was meant to be labor intensive as the work was a form of meditation and was in service to the Buddha. So yes it is a lot of work, but it was also a way to show how much respect went into the making of the food you serve God.
By the way, this step also isn’t about powering through if you are a man and have more arm strength than women. The reason is, the heat you generate by powering through will affect the delicate flavor of the toasted sesame seeds. Now if you are in a hurry, you can use tahini instead, and most Shojin Ryouri restaurants will use tahini instead because of how much labor it saves.

Shojin Cuisine (Japanese Traditional Vegan Buddhist Cuisine) Cooking Class at Jokoku Temple Akasaka Teran (Tokyo, Japan)
Ms. Masami has a recipe video up for this on her Teran youtube channel, so check it out and you can make it at home yourself. 

We also made braised kabu (Japanese turnip), carrot kinpira (savory and sweet stir fry with a kick of chili), 5 veggie sauce over deep fried and steamed tofu, mixed vegetable rice, and soup, with a side of pickles.

Shojin Cuisine (Japanese Traditional Vegan Buddhist Cuisine) Cooking Class at Jokoku Temple Akasaka Teran (Tokyo, Japan)
We had the privilege to eat inside the Jyokokuji Temple this day, so once everything was ready, we went inside the temple to set up everyone’s table. How amazing! You don’t get to eat inside a temple everyday, so this was quite a memorable experience.

Shojin Cuisine (Japanese Traditional Vegan Buddhist Cuisine) Cooking Class at Jokoku Temple Akasaka Teran (Tokyo, Japan)
It was a very serine experience to eat inside a temple. Just like day 1, everything was delicious and very well thought out and balanced. The sesame “tofu” I described earlier had a mochi like texture. It has a very delicate sesame seed flavor, so you eat it with soy sauce and grated ginger or wasabi. It was exciting to make an 800 year old recipe and get to eat it inside a temple, just as the people of the era would have.

Tokyo vegan cooking classes
Two days of Shojin Ryouri class flew by but I enjoyed every minute of it! I am definitely coming back for more and I cannot wait to learn more Shojin Ryouri recipes. Stay tuned for Ms. Masami’s April 2018 New York class dates.

Jokoku Temple Akasaka Teran
1-11-4 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-0052, Japan
Web: http://akasaka-teran.net/en/index_en.html

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Mariko Sakata

Hi, I'm Mariko! I am a raw food chef, instructor, and a cookbook author. Plant-based cooking is my passion. My creations are plant-based, mostly raw, and gluten free.
Hope you enjoy my recipes! Check out my About page to find out more about me.

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marikosakata

Whipping up some raw vegan chocolate granola for t Whipping up some raw vegan chocolate granola for the weekend🍫 Happy Friday!

週末のスナック用にローチョコレートグラノーラをデイハイドレーターへ🍫
クラブハウスではプラントベースについて色々お話ししていけたらと思います😊Instagramと同じ@marikosakataなので、宜しければフォロー宜しくお願いします🙋🏻‍♀️
Greening my broccoli sprouts🌱 Hello chlorophyll Greening my broccoli sprouts🌱 Hello chlorophyll💚

ブロッコリースプラウトに日光を当てて緑化💚 ブロッコリースプラウトは強力な抗がん作用、抗酸化効果、解毒作用のあるスルフォラファンを含みます🌱

ちなみに話は変わりますが、クラブハウスのアカウント(インスタ同様@marikosakata)を作りました🙋🏻‍♀️これからルームで色々とお話しできたらと思うので、ご興味のある方はフォロー宜しくお願い申し上げます🙇🏻‍♀️
Weekly sprouts prep for my salads and smoothies🌱 I took a break from them when I got too overwhelmed with work, but I’m back on the sprouting wagon🙋🏻‍♀️

サラダとスムージ用のレッドクローバーとブロッコリースプラウトの下ごしらえ🌱自宅で簡単にスプラウトできますよ🙆🏻‍♀️
My favorite Japanese vegan restaurant Shojin @shoj My favorite Japanese vegan restaurant Shojin @shojinlove is having an anniversary special! For today and tomorrow, their dynamite rolls (my favorite vegan sushi💕) are $10, so we took advantage and got the delivery🙌🏼✨ If you are a dynamite roll lover like me, don’t miss it☝🏻
Thank you so much @tomoko_inner_beauty for making Thank you so much @tomoko_inner_beauty for making me raw vegan cheese sauce recipe a  staple in your household🙏🏼 Extremely grateful and honored to have it so well liked by you✨

拙著の出版記念のイベントにもお越しくださったトモコさん @tomoko_inner_beauty 
拙著に含まれるチーズソースレシピをブログの頃からリピートしてくださっていて、大変嬉しく、光栄に思います。トモコさん、本当にいつもどうもありがとうございます🙇🏻‍♀️✨

Repost @tomoko_inner_beauty
・・・
Raw vegan cheese sauce 🧀

@marikosakata さんのご著書
「乳製品を使わない ヴィーガンチーズ」からローのチーズソース🧀🫕

このチーズソース🧀大好物でまりこさんがブログにレシピを載せていらした頃から何度作ったか分からないくらい
ずーっとリピートしています🥰🧀🧀🧀

パプリカを使っていて、チーズだけどヘルシー🧀✨✨✨

ブレンダーでガーッと混ぜるだけで
とっても簡単に出来てとってもクリーミー✨✨✨

この日はネットでポチったトルティーヤチップスが届いたのでディップしたくてパプリカ買いに走りました😂

思い起こせばまりこさんがブログにこのチーズソースを載せてくださった時もパプリカ買いに走ったなー🤣

「ローフード」の概念に収まりきれない魅力がまりこさんのレシピにはあって毎週アップしてくださるレシピが楽しみで楽しみで夢中で作っていました🥰✨✨✨

まりこさんが出版イベントをされた時もこのチーズソースが出て美味しくって、その時食べたのに🧀🥺
次の日作りましたもん😍🧀🧀🧀

いろいろ書きましたが要するに、とにかく美味しい♥️

写真は
ロメインレタス
トマト
サラダ玉ねぎ
ピーマン
きゅうり
紫キャベツ
のサラダに
チーズソースとトルティーヤチップスを乗せたもの🥗🌮

生のお野菜を盛り合わせたものです🥦

ブロッコリーは茹でて食べるイメージですが生でもとっても美味しくて😍
このチーズソースをつけて食べると止まりません🧀🥦🧀🥦✨

生で食べる時はブロッコリーの蕾が細かい方が美味しいです🥰
わたしは葉っぱの部分も好きで
茹でたりして食べてます🥦✨
ケールっぽくて大好きです🥦🥦🥦✨♥️



ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

YouTubeチャンネル作りました❣️
ゆったり癒しのスイーツ動画、ぜひご覧ください✨

20種類のギルトフリースイーツが動画で学べるudemy講座発売中✨

ローチョコレート🍫ローアイスクリーム🍨のプライベートレッスンをしています🍨

お申し込み、お問い合わせはメッセージをどうぞ🥰✨✨

 @tomoko_inner_beauty 

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー
Chickpea tempeh in the making✨
ひよこ豆テンペ作り✨
Chickpeas are still one of my favorite beans to ma Chickpeas are still one of my favorite beans to make tempeh with. I can’t wait for these to be done in a couple of days✨

色々な豆でテンペ作りを試した中でもひよこ豆テンペはお気に入りの一つ。今から出来上がりが楽しみ✨
発酵チェダーチーズを使ったヴィーガンチーズボード🌱🧀
拙著のレシピですが、オンデマンドクラスでも発酵ヴィーガンチーズの基礎のお話と共に作り方をお見せしています。ご興味のある方はプロフィールのリンクからご覧くださいませ。
Trying out pinto beans for tempeh✨ピントビーンズのテンペに挑戦✨
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