A FOOD TRADITION
Shojin Ryori
Shojin ryori is Japan's Buddhist temple cuisine, developed through Zen and other Buddhist institutions rather than belonging to one prefecture. Its cooking is guided by seasonal awareness, restraint, and the careful use of plant ingredients, including tofu, wheat gluten, vegetables, mushrooms, sea vegetables, beans, and grains. Techniques such as simmering, steaming, grilling, frying, fermenting, and preparing tofu or yuba create variety without relying on meat or fish. Representative preparations include yudofu, gently heated tofu served with condiments; goma-dofu, a sesame-based set preparation; and shojin-style goma-ae, vegetables dressed with ground sesame. Practices vary among temples and schools, so the category describes a cultural culinary tradition rather than a single fixed menu.
Dishes linked to this cuisine
1–5 of 5
Kenchin-jiru
A Japanese vegetable-and-tofu soup in which root vegetables and tofu are simmered in a savory dashi-based broth, often finished with soy sauce and sesame oil.
Koyasan Goma-dofu
A smooth, firm Japanese sesame tofu traditionally made by cooking sesame paste with kudzu starch and water until set.
Shojin Uzumi
Plant-based uzumi in which rice is hidden beneath a clear kombu-and-shiitake soup with tofu, yuzu, ginger and green onion.
Yuba Shabu-shabu
Shojin-style hot pot in which sheets of tofu skin and seasonal vegetables are briefly swished through a light plant-based broth.
Yudofu
A simple Japanese hot-pot dish in which tofu is gently heated in kombu-infused water and served with seasonings or dipping sauce.
Catalogue preview Cuisine connections may be unreviewed. Regional comparisons include their food references and do not establish the ingredients of a particular meal.