The Japanese Rule of Five: Simple Ancient Plant-Based Meal Planning
- Eiten
- Aug 3, 2025
- 11 min read
In our modern world, creating satisfying, balanced plant-based meals often feels like solving a complex puzzle with missing pieces. It doesn't have to be that way. By applying a simple, systematized framework to guide you, not only is it less daunting, but every meal can be transformed into an opportunity to nourish not just your body, but your entire being.
Shōjin ryōri provides just that. The Japanese culinary Theory of Five offers an easy solution developed and proven over millennia . Known in Japan as Gomi-Goshoku-Gohō (五味五色五法), this framework was transmitted to Japan by Zen Master Dōgen in 1237, where it became foundational to shōjin ryōri's approach of balance and harmony.
What follows is meant as an introduction to the theory and its adaptability to modern plant-based cooking, with one caveat that I need to put out there: traditionally the five methods are listed as raw, boiled, steamed, roasted, and simmered. Here I list them as raw, steamed, simmered, grilled and fermented.
Why? Pickles, which is what I am using fermented to capture here, were a staple of each meal on the Mountain. They are typically considered part of the Rule of Five on the basis of color primarily, and flavor (sour, salty) secondarily already. So I took the liberty of consolidating simmered and boiled (water-based cookery) into one, to make room for them.
I think that being a standard inclusion in shojin ryori and temple cooking, already historically tied to the Rule of Five, and a clear tie to the core shojin ryori principle of ichimotsu-zentai (wasting nothing), as well as that of mottainai (regret for the waste of somethings innate potential) makes this singular peculiarity justifiable. If nothing else, at least you know that AI didn’t write this. It couldn’t have. It doesn’t have the gall.
The Modern Plant-Based Predicament
Information overload. That is the greatest issue facing modern society. A never-ending inundation of data, much of it absolutely irrelevant, unnecessary, and often misleading—if not outright false. The home used to be a sanctuary away from the noise of the world, but with the increasing integration of technology into our day-to-day lives the line has been blurred. I would dare say erased.
The issue has penetrated to the very hearth of the home: the kitchen. Food and tech are nearly inseparable from one another. The advent of the modernist culinary movement facilitated the migration of what were once the tools of professionals into the cupboards of novice cooks across the globe. The simple act of eating has been forever complicated by options that obscure its true purpose: to stave off hunger and provide the body with the essential nutrients that it needs for survival.
When I was training on the Mountain one of the things that caught me by surprise was the sheer speed with which dinner was prepared, served, and eaten. It was literally over in under ten minutes, and the majority of that time was spent chanting the elaborate meal prayers that preceded and followed the two minutes of actual eating time. Once we were done, it was on to the next thing which almost always was some form of physical activity like weeding the temple gardens or scrubbing the bathrooms.
Contrast that with the process in most homes nowadays where deciding what is for dinner starts with an internet search or quick check of an ever-growing list of bookmarked recipes. Then come the lists, and the trips to the grocery stores for exotic and expensive (read: not local) ingredients before we can even begin to cook. It’s as if food isn’t novel and complex it isn’t good. We have lost sight of what is essential, why we do what we do. Food has somehow transitioned from a basic human need to something else altogether.
The result is a sense of lacking. The process of preparing food consumes a greater and greater share of our resources, as the return on investment diminishes. Time and money—already scarce—are spent in increasing quantity, while the mental and physical benefits of eating well prepared and nutritionally balanced meals have all but disappeared for many. Trying to counter the imbalance with the latest nutritional science just adds to the stress: for every one study that indicates the benefits of a particular diet or the latest superfood, there is one or more that contradicts the assertions.
How can we cut through the noise and eat food that delivers the nutrition that our bodies truly need, without pushing ourselves to the brink of insanity and exhaustion in the process? The simple and systematic framework for plant-based meal planning offered by the ancient Japanese principle of the Rule of Five.
The Rule of Five in Practice
After centuries of refinement in monastic kitchens throughout China and Japan, the Rule of Five offers exactly what modern plant-based eaters need: a simple framework that ensures complete nutrition, satisfying flavors, and visual appeal without complexity or guesswork. This 2,000 year-old system transforms meal planning from overwhelming choice paralysis into an elegant checklist that guarantees balanced, nourishing results every time.
The beauty lies in its completeness. Rather than focusing on individual nutrients or superfoods, the Rule of Five addresses your entire eating experience—taste satisfaction, nutritional diversity, digestive harmony, and visual pleasure—through three interconnected principles that work together seamlessly.
Gomi (五味) - Five Tastes: Complete Satisfaction
Sweet, Sour, Salty, Bitter, Umami
The five tastes form the foundation of satisfaction and content. When your palate experiences all five flavors in a meal, your brain registers complete satisfaction, ending the cycle of post-meal cravings that plague many eaters, plant-based beginners and beyond.
On the Mountain every meal—including the simple morning porridge—contained all five flavors. They came in a variety of guises: the natural sweetness of roasted vegetables or mirin; the sourness of pickled vegetables or rice vinegar; the brininess of miso or sea salt; the bitterness of dark leafy greens or mountain herbs; and the umami depth of mushrooms or fermented foods such as natto. No complex flavor combinations or exotic ingredients—just fundamental tastes that create harmony and a state of satiation.
Taking the time to plan for and include all five tastes into a meal helps avoid it seeming to be one-dimensional or lacking, which often results in continued hunger and craving.
Goshoku (五色) - Five Colors: Natural Nutrition
Green, Yellow, Red, Black, White
The five colors serve as nature's nutrition guide, ensuring diverse phytonutrient intake without requiring a degree in nutritional science or reading extensive books about the macro- and micronutrient composition of daily foods.
Each color represents different beneficial compounds: whites provide allicin and quercetin, blacks offer anthocyanins, yellows deliver carotenoids, reds supply lycopene, and greens provide chlorophyll and folate. Just to make the point, not to be exhaustive.
The five colors are visually appealing and offer a natural, intuitive way to ensure nutritional variety. A simple meal might include white daikon radish, black shiitake mushrooms, yellow summer corn, red bell peppers, and any number of green leafy vegetables. No calculations, no calorie counting apps, no confusion.
Goho (五法) - Five Methods: Digestive Harmony
Raw, Steamed, Simmered, Grilled, Fermented
The five cooking methods ensure optimal digestibility and nutrient preservation while creating textural variety that keeps meals interesting. Raw foods provide maximum enzymes and volatile vitamins that are diminished if not eradicated by exposure to heat. Steaming preserves water-soluble nutrients. Simmering offers comforting warmth, while breaking down tough fibers. Grilling adds satisfying depth and texture. Fermentation (my unique inclusion remember) enhances gut health and transforms the singular note of many foods by adding complexity by way of layers of flavor.
Rather than preparing everything the same way, the cooks on the Mountain consciously varied their methods within each meal. Each monk’s tray might contain fresh raw herbs, steamed rice, simmered konnyaku with vegetables, grilled eggplant, alongside the ubiquitous pickles, The five methods create textural variety and interest, while aiding with nutrition and digestibility.
Relevance in Today's World: Outside of the Temple
The practical necessity that inspired the creation of these principles is not unlike the challenges that we face today as we struggle to find the time, money, and other resources to properly nourish ourselves in an increasingly demanding world. The Rule of Five’s framework is perfectly designed to help us adapt in light of ever-changing circumstances while never losing sight of the principle aim, proving that ancient wisdom often provides the simplest and most elegant answers to contemporary challenges.
Holistic Health: Beyond Nutritional Reductionism & the Diet Culture
There is no shortage of dietary advice out there. Protein. Fat. Carbs, Micros. Macros. Each playing differing roles in a myriad of dietary regimens, each claiming to be the way humans have evolved to eat For every study that suggests eating one way is best, there is a contradictory study that claims to “de-bunk” that one and offer yet another solution.
Assuming that you don’t have any known ailments or conditions or are under the supervision of a doctor for either, the framework of the Rule of Five offers a refreshingly simple and intuitive approach to eating balanced, nutrient rich meals. Combined with cultivating an awareness with regards to how your body is responding is often a better path to follow, than the current fad diet trending on social media. Remember, the primary definition of the word diet is the food that one habitually eats. You should habitually eat foods that support your health and well-being.
When you begin applying the Rule of Five to your daily eating, the changes happen quickly and compound over time. These aren't theoretical benefits—they're practical improvements you'll notice within days of implementation, growing stronger as the framework becomes second nature.
Environmental Impact: Sustainability by Design
Plant-forward eating guided by the Rule of Five naturally aligns with environmental sustainability without requiring complex carbon calculations or ethical hand-wringing. The emphasis on seasonal colors, local availability, and simple preparation methods reduces food miles and processing demands. The fermentation and preservation techniques minimize waste while extending ingredient usability and nutritive value.
When you eat according to these principles, environmental responsibility becomes a natural byproduct rather than an additional consideration and concern. You're not sacrificing convenience for conscience. You’re discovering that sustainable eating is actually simpler, more satisfying, and more economical than the industrial food system we've been conditioned to accept.
The Rule of Five transforms ingredients from single-use items into multi-purpose tools. That bunch of carrots becomes raw sticks (orange), roasted coins (orange, different texture), pickled strips (sour taste), and carrot-top pesto (green). Vegetable scraps become stock, wilted greens become simmered dishes, and aging vegetables become fermented treasures (more about this in my upcoming nukazuke post).
You'll start seeing potential in everything, buying less but using more completely. Your grocery bills decrease while your meals become more varied and interesting. Food waste drops to nearly zero as every ingredient finds multiple applications across the five methods.
Mindful Eating: Reclaiming Food Relationships
The Rule of Five transforms mindless consumption into conscious nourishment. When you actively consider the colors, tastes, and cooking methods for each meal, you naturally slow down and give your attention and intention to what you're eating. It's a cultivation of mindfulness that reconnects you with food as nourishment rather than mere fuel or entertainment.
The five flavors, five colors, and five methods framework demands attention and presence, naturally fostering the mindful relationship with food that modern life systematically destroys.
Meals that align with the Rule of Five don't just taste better, they satisfy you on a deeper level. The earthiness and umami of mushrooms, the brightness of pickled vegetables, the sweetness of roasted squash, the clean bitterness of greens, and the grounding saltiness of miso create flavor complexity that processed foods can never match.
This wisdom naturally guides you toward whole, seasonal ingredients and away from expensive processed substitutes. Instead of buying costly plant-based meats or exotic superfoods, you discover that humble seasonal vegetables provide all the beauty, complexity, and nutrients you need.
Your grocery spending drops as you learn to shop the perimeter—fresh produce, bulk grains, basic seasonings. You'll save hundreds monthly by cooking simply and eating seasonally, while actually improving the quality of and your satisfaction with your meals and your general well-being.
Plant-Based Meal Planning: Ancient Order for Modern Chaos
Perhaps the most practical benefit is this: the Rule of Five cuts through the paralysis of infinite choice that characterizes modern meal planning. Instead of scrolling through thousands of recipes or agonizing over what's for dinner, you simply ask yourself throughout the process of preparing a meal—from shopping to serving: Are all five colors and tastes represented? Are the cooking methods varied?
This systematic approach eliminates the decision fatigue that makes healthy eating feel overwhelming. It works equally well for a quick weeknight dinner as it does for an elaborate holiday gathering. It scales, whether you're cooking for one or feeding a family. The same principles apply, creating consistency and confidence, and bringing joy back into the process.
When you begin to understand the framework, cooking becomes a form of creative expression rather than a form of torture born from necessity and obligation . You walk through the farmers market or grocery store with clear purpose, seeking colors, imagining flavor combinations, planning cooking methods to best showcase the inherent textures of each ingredient. Decision paralysis disappears.
Kitchen anxiety transforms into kitchen curiosity. You'll find yourself experimenting confidently, knowing that as long as you hit the five elements, the meal will work. Cooking becomes meditative rather than stressful.
The Rule of Five proves that simplicity and sophistication aren't in opposition, but rather they coexist as we create sustainable change, rooted in wisdom..
Three Ways to Start Using the Rule of Five Right Now
You don't need to overhaul your kitchen or master elaborate techniques to begin experiencing the benefits of the Rule of Five. In fact, the equipment you already have is likely more than enough, and the techniques you need to know are basic to say the least. Start with these three simple practices and a shift in attention to transform ordinary meals into complete nourishment.
1. "Taste Balance" While You Plan (Gomi)
The Practice: When deciding what to make for dinner, set the intention to include at least three of the five tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, umami. Start with the raw ingredients. Decide how you want to prepare them, what recipes you are planning to try. Then ask yourself: "What taste am I missing?" It is as simple as swapping out a recipe in most cases..
Why It Works: This single change eliminates monotony and creates satisfaction signals your brain that the meal is nutritionally complete, naturally reducing overeating and cravings.
2. Vary Your Cooking Methods Weekly (Goho)
The Practice: Instead of defaulting to your tried and true cooking methods, decide to purposefully switch things up throughout the course of the meal or the week.. If Monday was roasted vegetables, make Tuesday's vegetables steamed, Wednesday's raw in a salad, Thursday's simmered in soup.
Why It Works: Textural variety keeps meals interesting and optimizes nutrient availability. While some vitamins are better absorbed when cooked, others when raw. The different textures also require more mindful chewing, naturally slowing your eating and improving digestion. The point isn’t to use the perfect method for each ingredient per se, but rather to build the confidence to be curious and experiment, while establishing the habit of balancing things out.
3. Goshoku: A Final Color Check
The Practice: Before sitting down to eat, take five seconds to scan your plate. Count the colors: green, yellow, red, black, white. If you see only one or two, add something on the fly. A handful of fresh herbs, some cherry tomatoes, a sprinkle of black sesame seeds, or sliced radishes.
Why It Works: This simple visual check instantly upgrades your nutrition without any planning or complex preparation. You're not changing recipes, you’re adapting them to what is on hand while making them complete.
Start With One Simple Change
Choose just one of these practices and apply it to your next meal. Don't try to perfect all three immediately. The Rule of Five works because it's simple, easy to follow, and forgiving. But you are still building a new habit, and that takes time. As each practice becomes automatic, add the next. Within a month, you'll find yourself naturally creating complete, satisfying meals without thinking about it.
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