What would Washoku, Japanese cuisine, look like in the future? Even though we simply say “Japanese food,” the way it’s made and enjoyed has changed big time over the years! The flavors and styles we see today are not only different from 100 years ago, but even from ten years ago, and the pace just keeps getting faster.
Because my passion is to teach young minds about food, I’m always thinking about how to best share Washoku as it keeps morphing. Now that programming is a required elementary school subject in Japan, why not try using computational thinking to help children learn about local food?
Washoku Cooking and Computational Mindset
Back in 2020, I gave a talk at a food education symposium hosted by Tokyo Gas, about the theme called “Computational Thinking and Washoku Cooking” (「プログラミング的思考と和食調理」). You might wonder, why connect “computational thinking” with “Japanese cuisine”?
Computational thinking is a logical way of tackling problems; you break them down into smaller parts, spot patterns, and figuring out possible solutions. It’s a kind of mental practice that helps us think about what direction to take to inch towards the result we want.
Cooking, as it turns out, does go well with this computational thinking. You start off with imagination—what do you want to make? Then you pick the ingredients, prep them, decide on cooking methods and seasonings, cook in order, get the dish ware, and finally serve the food. By breaking these down into smaller, easier steps and tackling each, you get the end result: a delicious dish!
Nikujaga and Computational Thinking
Let’s talk about computational thinking using the example of the Japanese stable dish “nikujaga,” simmered meat and potatoes. Maybe you can picture the taste and the way it looks when served.
But when it comes to actually making it, there will be many “decision moments,” like:
Ingredients
・Should you use beef or pork?
・Should the potatoes be starchy (e.g., Danshaku) or waxy (e.g., May Queen)?
・What else should you add—onions, shirataki noodles, etc.?
Preparation
・How big or what shape should you cut the potatoes?
・What kind of dashi should you use?
Seasoning
・Which seasonings should be added, and at what stage?
・How should the order and timing of the ingredients be?
Cooking Time
・When should you turn off the heat?
Serving
・Which bowl or dish should you use?
・How should you arrange the food?
At every stage, you want to think carefully and know what you’re getting into. Every choice you make does affect how your finished dishes turn out. When you think about it, the process itself—planning the steps, making smart decisions, and seeing how each decision affects the next step—is very similar to computational thinking.
The Joy and Specialness of Cooking!
We can use computational thinking to help solve all kinds of everyday problems, but cooking has something even more enjoyable.
The best part is that it’s not just about learning how to make dishes—you can actually enjoy the process with your family or friends! Have fun sharing the food, talking about how it turned out, and even laughing about the little mistakes! And from there, new ideas or challenges naturally come your way.
The Modern Challenges of Washoku
When it comes to cooking, you start by deciding what you want to make.
The starting point matters, and we want to get “computational thinking” going right there. For this decision, we normally rely on our own experiences, like choosing from what we’ve made or eaten before. As simple as it sounds, this is where the real challenge of washoku lies, because we eat less traditional Japanese food these days and honestly, we’ve got slim pickings for this category. So, there you have it—we probably have to search high and low to find refreshing washoku to make! And we get to the point where there should be more choices not only for ourselves but also for the next generation.
Passing Food Traditions down to the Next Generation
I believe it’s a must to pass down flavors, ingredients, and cooking tips.
When it comes to flavor, we need to know a wide range of dishes to begin with, and have experienced them firsthand.
Then, hopefully, we can create natural opportunities for children—the next generation—to get to experience those tastes too.
Ingredients are like programming languages in the world of cooking. It sure makes a world of difference when you know lots of ingredients or how to pair them to bring out great flavors. The more you know about food and its combinations, the wider your cooking possibilities will become!
You get these cooking skills by making all kinds of dishes. Many skills almost become second nature by watching those close to you, like your parents, cooking in the kitchen.
So, let’s get cooking started and show the next generation the joy of whipping up great dishes!
School Cooking Classes and Computational Thinking
I think schools are changing directions, too.
Until now, these cooking classes have been formulaic: they would introduce a recipe, and children simply follow the steps as told. This approach focuses on the “shortest route” to making a dish. Ok, if they follow the exact steps, they probably make it—but does this really help them deepen their understanding of the dish? I’m not so sure.
If we get computational thinking going, adults could set only the starting point and the end goal, and let the children figure out how to get there on their own. They might take a while to get there, or they might even find a shortcut! It is entirely up to them to solve the problems along the way.
Computational Thinking Goes Hand in Hand with Human Skills
At a symposium, I had the chance to talk with Mr. Masanori Sato, a programming expert and teacher at Tokyo Gakugei University’s affiliated Takehaya Elementary School.
Interestingly, if not surprisingly, he kept saying, “In the end, it all comes down to humans.” We’ve got computers for smart everyday solutions, but it’s still humans who originally create things and ideas. Without boosting our human qualities, we can’t produce anything really meaningful.
Computational thinking sure can help cooking, but as Mr. Sato says, it does come down to humans—the goodness of human creativity and character. That’s what makes it wonderful.
So yes, in that sense, developing human skills is just as important in cooking!
Final Thoughts
Starting in 2020, elementary schools in Japan introduced programming education.
This is possibly to foster computational thinking. It sure is a great move, as this way of thinking does help children learn to think logically, solve problems, and boost their creativity.
Cooking, too, needs those very same skills. No need to follow the “right” route as long as you’ve got an idea of the destination; you can blaze your own trail to get there. That’s the unique appeal of cooking: try different approaches and creative solutions to reach your goal!
