Itadakimasu - the Japanese way of giving thanks to all life

Mochi cooking for her baby, En

In my series on motherhood I want to portray the diversity of the motherhood experience and what it means to be a mother now. I’m interested in telling stories through other mamas to give insight into their approach to motherhood; be it their struggles, triumphs, their deepest feelings, how they have evolved and grown, perhaps how they raise their children connected to nature and live with a light footprint, or how they approach mothering consciously. 

I want to portray the essence of motherhood in every family’s unique language and am evolving this series to now encompass how we nourish and feed ourselves and our families, sharing the hands, earth and hearts that feed us.

Today I am sharing a story by Mochi, who is actually our lovely neighbour! She lives in Christchurch, New Zealand with her gorgeous wee family. 

All photos by Charlotte, Olive & Pop

I've lived in NZ for 8 years, and am originally from Japan.

I usually cook modern Japanese food, but I also cook various Asian meals too. I'd like to try cooking more western-style oven cooked meals in the future.

I try to take time for a bath to take care of myself; with a candle and sometimes being kept company by my cat, it makes me happy. It's an important time for me to relax and be myself.

I want my family to eat various foods, vegetables, and to have a balanced diet.

I also try to eat healthy, and to use seasonal vegetables as much as possible.

I think my son will talk about food in a positive way when he gets older. I want him to know with food that it's not just 'eating it', but that food creates the body and the mind.

Regarding food waste, I try to use up everything - one way that helps is to divide it into small portions and freeze it. I try to cook and eat all parts of the vegetables including leaves and skins as much as possible.

The ritual at meal times is saying 'itadakimasu' and 'gochisousamattemasita'. The Japanese way of thinking about food includes giving thanks to all life (both animal and plant), and also giving thanks to the people who cooked it, and the producers. This is a very important way of thinking for me, and is a part of Japanese culture that I love.

I grew up with a very positive relationship with food. My Mother made a very healthy diet for me and my family. We used fresh vegetables grown at home, homemade seasonings and fermented foods, and cooked with consideration for food combinations that would improve nutrient absorption. She thought about how to balance protein, vitamins and minerals every day. She also paid attention to visual colour balance. She still does that, and I really respect her.

I have fond memories of going to cooking classes with her when I was a child, which are very nice memories for me.

In Japan, we studied nutrition and food in school education, and balanced meals are served every day at school lunches. I think this is a very good way of thinking that I want to pass on to my son.

I want to raise my son with both the desire to pass on a lot of Japanese food culture and the good things about New Zealand food culture. I want to be relaxed and flexible about food so that Mum is happy, and my family is happy.

We've been finding ways to deal with rising food costs, such as incorporating seasonal goods, growing vegetables at home, and having my husband use the slow-cooker to make lunches each week, which we freeze.