In the centuries following the introduction
of Buddhism to Japan in the 6th century, laws
and imperial edicts gradually eliminated the
eating of almost all flesh of animals and fowl.
The vegetarian style of cooking known as
shojin ryori was later popularized by the Zen
sect, and by the 15th century many of the foods
and food ingredients eaten by Japanese today
had already made their debut, for example, soy
sauce (shoyu), miso, tofu, and other products
made from soybeans. Around the same time,
a formal and elaborate
style of banquet cooking
developed that was derived
from the cuisine of the
court aristocracy. Known
as honzen ryori, it is one
of the three basic styles of
Japanese cooking along
with chakaiseki ryori (the
cuisine of the tea ceremony
meal) and kaiseki ryori.