Vinegared rice is topped with boiled chrysanthemum flowers for sushi that resembles the traditional Japanese handball called temari.

Based on the wisdom of Japan’s traditional vegetarian culture, these dishes, too, offer more of the proteins and fats that vegetarian diets tend to lack.

The restaurant’s dashi broth, a basic to Japanese cuisine, is also unique, made from kombu (kelp) and vegetables and not from the typical animal-based ingredients like bonito flakes. Bringing kelp to the boil produces an astringent, bitter flavor, while slow-boiling vegetables releases the umami. Accordingly, the restaurant makes its dashi by preparing the kelp and vegetable broths separately and then mixing the two together. Paying close attention to each of the ingredients to bring out their individual characteristics results in rich, full-bodied flavors. There is no waste in making of the dishes too, as the vegetable broth is made with the peels and scraps left from preparing other dishes.

As Nomura points out, “Buddhist teachings tell us that plants are living beings, too. Since the plants are giving their lives for us, we put our whole heart into cooking them and make sure nothing goes to waste.” Food loss in the kitchen here is virtually zero. Shojin ryori is also a cuisine that suits the current era of sustainability.

Gorgeous presentation, delicious flavor, healthy, and environmentally friendly — Japan’s storied vegetarian culture may be the richest of diets, even today.