Itadakimasu: The Taste Before the First Bite

In Japan, before eating, we say いただきます (Itadakimasu).
It is a small word. Soft. Quick. Easy to overlook.
But inside it lives an entire way of seeing the world.

“Itadakimasu” is often translated as “I humbly receive.”
But that translation is flat — just a shadow.
Because the real meaning is felt, not defined.

It is a moment of acknowledgment:
For the ingredients.
For the farmers who grew them.
For the hands that prepared the meal.
For the time and life that made nourishment possible.

In many cultures, meals begin with gratitude.
But in Japan, gratitude is directed not only toward people, but to nature itself.
The rice that grew in the sun.
The fish that swam in the sea.
The miso that fermented for months in quiet darkness.
Everything carries a story.

When we say Itadakimasu, we are saying:
“I recognize that something gave so that I may be nourished.”

It is not about guilt.
And it is not about manners.
It is about connection.

This connection can be felt in the way Japanese meals are prepared:
Not with excessive seasoning, but with care to bring out the natural flavor of each ingredient.
It reflects a belief that food already contains its own truth — our job is simply to respect it.

Even in modern cities, where life moves quickly, you’ll still hear Itadakimasu in school cafeterias, office lunchrooms, and family kitchens.
It’s a small anchor — a reminder that even on rushed days, we are part of something larger than ourselves.

And when the meal is finished, we say ごちそうさまでした (Gochisousama deshita) —
a thank you not only for the food, but for the effort, time, and journey it took to arrive at the table.

These two phrases form a circle of gratitude:
Receive → Appreciate → Continue.
Like breathing.
Like living.

At CookinGlobe, we share not only recipes, but this spirit.
When guests sit down to taste miso soup or freshly prepared dashi, there is often a small, quiet pause before the first spoonful.
And in that pause, something opens.
A sense of warmth, of connection — of being held by the moment.

That is Itadakimasu.
Not a word spoken, but a feeling lived.

Itadakimasu is gratitude made gentle.

Discover Where Taste and Tradition Meet: Itadakimasu in Daily Life

At CookinGlobe, we begin each meal by sharing the meaning of Itadakimasu.
Not as a lesson — but as a moment.
A breath before tasting.
A connection to the food and to each other.

And if you want to feel this spirit beyond the classroom, we can guide you to small family-run lunch spots around Tokyo — places where meals are simple, warm, and cooked with care.
No performance, no tourist polish.
Just real Japanese everyday life, served with quiet hospitality.

Experience Itadakimasu at the table — and then in the gentle places where everyday Japan still eats with gratitude.