The Flavor of Japan
Although Benihana has become an international brand, we celebrate our Japanese heritage as the most important part of the Benihana “experience”—honoring one of the oldest cultures on earth in the way we portray ourselves and serve our guests.
Here are a few cultural elements, such as décor, performance and tradition, you’ll experience when you visit Benihana.
Characterized as tranquil, minimal and peaceful, and incorporating natural elements such as stone and wood, the traditional Japanese home is designed to welcome guests. At Benihana, we weave these elements into our restaurants as well, creating an environment where guests can feel comfortable and enjoy sharing the Benihana experience.
The Japanese kimono, which is perhaps one of the world's finest and most recognizable national costumes traces its roots to China. The earliest evidence of a kimono-like wrapped garment is seen in the haniwa clay figures of the early 5th century. The Chinese style of dress portrayed in the haniwa consisted of a short wrapped robe or jacket over loose fitting trousers. This style was well suited to the clothing needs of the agrarian society that dominated Japan at the time. The Japanese nobility adopted traditional Chinese court attire, consisting of a loose upper garment with side slits and trousers for men and a short wrapped upper garment and long flowing skirt for women.
Bamboo is an essential part of the Japanese aesthetic and it is widely used in the creation of decorative objects especially for the home. It is believed that bamboo was introduced to China and Japan from India. All together there are more than 600 varieties of bamboo however, only about 12 of these are used in daily life. One type is also a popular ingredient in Japanese food. Some common uses for bamboo include: flower vases, garden fences, wind chimes, furniture, chopsticks, baskets, ladles, spoons, dinnerware, fencing swords, flutes, umbrellas and handbags.
Japanese screens or shoji are typically made of lightweight wood or bamboo and rice paper. They are used in tea ceremonies, as backgrounds for dances and performances, as enclosures for Buddhist rites and as an architectural element in the home, restaurants and a variety of interior spaces. The typical shoji serves as a door or window and its paper is translucent.
Flowers are very important in Japanese décor and culture. A red safflower was the inspiration for the restaurant's name — Benihana — which in Japanese means "red flower." It is this symbol that you will also see on the plates in all Benihana restaurants.
Ikebana, or the art of flower arrangement, is the traditional Japanese way of arranging flowers to represent the earth, the sky and man based on strict aesthetic ideals and the ultimate harmony of all nature. Beginning more than six hundred years ago, ikebana was first practiced in Buddhist ritual. Like the Indian custom of honoring Buddha by strewing flowers all about the alter, the Japanese adopted this custom introduced directly from China and began making more formal arrangements which were placed on Buddhist alters.
A strict style emerged in which a tall upright central stem was accompanied by two progressively shorter stems representing heaven, earth and man, accordingly. By the fifteenth century, ikebana was elevated to an art form, which also became a popular pastime among the nobility and eventually the middle-class.
Bonsai
Bonsai is the art of cultivating miniature trees, which was introduced to Japan from China around the thirteenth century. In China, bonsai is believed to have originated over a thousand years ago as the potting of tree specimens. Later, these trees became prized for their gnarled roots, which resembled animals, dragons and birds and became associated with myth and legend. Over the years, Japanese bonsai evolved into an expression of personal aesthetic consistent with the teachings of Zen Buddhism and the interrelationship of man, nature and the elements. It is said that the three basic tenets of bonsai are shin-zen-bi which means, truth, goodness and beauty.
At Benihana, our chefs entertain as they cook. This tradition is inspired by the Japanese love of ritual in food preparation and by the art of performance, where the audience often becomes part of the act.
Kabuki is a form of traditional Japanese theatre, which was developed and enjoyed by the middle and lower classes. The earliest evidence of kabuki dates back to 1603 when O-Kuni, a female servant at the Izumo Taisha Shrine in Kyoto arranged for a troupe of performers to put on a show in order to raise money for the repair of the shrine.
Popular themes for kabuki plays include historical events, love relationships and moral conflict and are somewhat reminiscent of operatic themes in the West. Actors dress in elaborate costumes and their make-up is designed to accentuate the particular character being portrayed. Sometimes masks are used. Kabuki plays are accompanied by traditional Japanese music featuring the shamisen (three-stringed lute-like instrument), Japanese flutes and drums.
Kabuki theatres are equipped with rotating stages enabling rapid set changes and trap doors through which actors can quickly appear and disappear. Another unusual feature of the kabuki stage is a walkway (hanamichi or "flower-walk") which extends out into the audience.
Origami is the Japanese art of paper-folding. Ori comes from the verb oru which means "to fold" and gami comes from the word kami which means paper. Since the Chinese invented paper sometime during the first century A.D., they also began folding paper to create a variety of useful and decorative objects. Buddhist priests studying in China first brought paper to Japan during the sixth century and paper-folding was soon adopted in religious rituals and daily customs.
Paper-folding was primarily used as a way to wrap special objects and gifts and this tradition continues to this day. Over the years, paper-folding developed into a popular pastime for children who learned how to fold a variety of origami "toys" including, birds, boxes, animals and fish.
Japanese cuisine is meticulously prepared with attention to the subtleties of flavor and of course presentation. It is a celebration of detail, color, fine flavor and even the four seasons. Enjoying that cuisine is also an event in itself, with many of the traditions still observed.
The etiquette of eating in Japan (meshiagaru) is based on a long tradition greatly influenced by the tenants of Zen which have impacted every aspect of Japanese life.
A typical Japanese meal involves many different foods and sauces presented in little dishes — each a work of art unto itself. Dishes are selected for each food item keeping in mind color, texture and ease of handling. It is considered polite to pick up small dishes and bring them close to your mouth especially when eating soup and rice.
The soup bowl is picked up and the soup is sipped directly from the bowl. Chopsticks or a spoon may be used to capture the tofu, seaweed or vegetables, that flavor the soup.
The rice bowl is also picked up and brought to the mouth and basically the chopsticks are used to "shovel" the rice in. When dipping sauces are used, chopsticks are used to pick up the food and dip it into the sauce, then you either convey the food to your mouth directly or place it on the rice before eating it. This serves two purposes. One is that it flavors the rice as it is not considered polite to pour sauce directly onto the rice in the rice bowl. The other is that the rice bowl becomes a vehicle for bringing the food to the mouth without dripping it all over the table.
Before eating, it is important to say “itadakimasu,” which literally means "I shall partake" and serves as a kind of pre-meal grace. Then, after the dinner is over, you may say “gochisohsama deshita,” which shows your appreciation for the meal.
At many Japanese restaurants, bars and inns, guests are given a wet face or hand towel called oshibori. It is usually heated in the winter and cold in the summer and is used to freshen-up before eating. Once used, it is taken away by the hostess.
The best overall rule to follow when dining with Japanese people is to exercise the same good manners you learned at home while learning the ways of eating this most exotic cuisine by paying attention to your neighbors.
The first evidence of chopsticks dates back to about 2000 B.C. in China, and they were later introduced to Japan sometime in the early centuries A.D. Since most Japanese dishes consist of bite-sized pieces of food, chopsticks were quickly adopted as an efficient eating utensil.
In Japan, chopsticks used at the table are usually made of bamboo or lacquered wood. In the Japanese home, each family member has his or her own set of chopsticks which are selected by the person himself. The disposable chopsticks used in restaurants (wari-bashi) are made of a light-weight wood and have traditionally been attached at one end to assure the guest that they have not been used before. Chopsticks are also used for cooking and these are usually made of wood, bamboo or metal.
Drinking Tea
The Japanese tea ceremony is a ritualized way of preparing and drinking tea which was perfected in the latter half of the 18th century by Sen-no-Rikyu. It was inspired by Zen and continues to reflect the Zen ideals of aestheticism, peace, harmony and discipline. Today it is still a popular pastime, and for many it is a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of busy modern-day life.
While the tea ceremony is a time honored spiritual tradition in Japan, in fact the drinking of tea in its many forms is common in daily life. Japanese tea is typically served hot in cups without a handle, without sugar or cream added. The tea cup is picked up close to the rim by one hand and supported from the bottom by the other. It should never be gulped down but rather enjoyed by taking little sips.
