Suppon (a soft-shelled turtle)

Suppon from Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan  静岡産すっぽん

Suppon

One of the famous Japanese dishes is Suppon (a soft-shelled turtle). The extract and the broth of suppon is well known as the most delicious flavor in the world.

Preparing suppons makes us feel thankful for the sacrifice they make by becoming our food. Japanese people have a ritual of saying, "Itadakimasu" before eating. This is a kind of greeting. "Itadakimasu" means "I'm going to eat," "thank you for the cooking," or "thank you for giving your life to me. "Killing suppons makes us re-realize that we take something's life away. The "Itadakimasu" spirit is one of the traditions that Japanese culture and culinary artists want to spread all over the world.

すっぽん

日本人の強壮剤、すっぽん。その出汁は世界で一番美味しいものという。
すっぽんの解体は、日本人が食前に唱える「いただきます。」の心に意味をもたせます。我々は他の命を頂いて生きていることを再認識させられます。
「いただきます。」こそ、世界に広めたい日本料理の真髄なのかもしれません。



Photo shoot at Hirohisa