In this Sunday, Nov. 24, 2013 photo, Yasuko Hiramatsu, mother, housewife and part-time translator, slices burdock as she cooks kinpiragobo dish at her house in Tokyo. Washoku, the traditional cuisine of Japan, is being considered for designation as part of the worlds priceless cultural heritage by the U.N. this week. But even as sushi and sake booms worldwide, purists say its finer points are candidates for the endangered list at home. The younger generation is increasingly eating Krispy Kreme donuts and McDonalds, not rice. Hiramatsu learned how to cook from her mother and grandmother, although she also relies on several cookbooks and watches TV shows to beef up her repertoire. (AP Photo/Yuri Kagyema) (credit:AP)
(02 of08)
Open Image Modal
In this Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2013 photo, a dish of crab and shrimp with vinegared turnip are served on a table at Japanese restaurant Irimoya Bettei in Tokyo. Washoku, the traditional cuisine of Japan, is being considered for designation as part of the worlds priceless cultural heritage by the U.N. this week. But even as sushi and sake booms worldwide, purists say its finer points are candidates for the endangered list at home. The younger generation is increasingly eating Krispy Kreme donuts and McDonalds, not rice. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi) (credit:AP)
(03 of08)
Open Image Modal
In this Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2013 photo, sukiyaki ingredients of sliced beef, enoki mushroom, garland chrysanthemum are served on a table at Japanese restaurant Irimoya Bettei in Tokyo. Washoku, the traditional cuisine of Japan, is being considered for designation as part of the worlds priceless cultural heritage by the U.N. this week. But even as sushi and sake booms worldwide, purists say its finer points are candidates for the endangered list at home. The younger generation is increasingly eating Krispy Kreme donuts and McDonalds, not rice. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi) (credit:AP)
Yasuko Hiramatsu(04 of08)
Open Image Modal
In this Sunday, Nov. 24, 2013 photo, Yasuko Hiramatsu, mother, housewife and part-time translator, shows her dishes at her house in Tokyo. Washoku, the traditional cuisine of Japan, is being considered for designation as part of the worlds priceless cultural heritage by the U.N. this week. But even as sushi and sake booms worldwide, purists say its finer points are candidates for the endangered list at home. The younger generation is increasingly eating Krispy Kreme donuts and McDonalds, not rice. Hiramatsu learned how to cook from her mother and grandmother, although she also relies on several cookbooks and watches TV shows to beef up her repertoire. (AP Photo/Yuri Kagyema) (credit:AP)
(05 of08)
Open Image Modal
In this Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2013 photo, a slice of tuna fish is picked up from a sashimi plate of tuna, left, grouper, foreground, and Japanese blowfish at Japanese restaurant Irimoya Bettei in Tokyo. Washoku, the traditional cuisine of Japan, is being considered for designation as part of the worlds priceless cultural heritage by the U.N. this week. But even as sushi and sake booms worldwide, purists say its finer points are candidates for the endangered list at home. The younger generation is increasingly eating Krispy Kreme donuts and McDonalds, not rice. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi) (credit:AP)
(06 of08)
Open Image Modal
In this Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2013 photo, Japanese dishes are served on a table for dinner at Japanese restaurant Irimoya Bettei in Tokyo. Washoku, the traditional cuisine of Japan, is being considered for designation as part of the worlds priceless cultural heritage by the U.N. this week. But even as sushi and sake booms worldwide, purists say its finer points are candidates for the endangered list at home. The younger generation is increasingly eating Krispy Kreme donuts and McDonalds, not rice. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi) (credit:AP)
Kenji Uda(07 of08)
Open Image Modal
In this Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2013 photo, chief chef Kenji Uda explains about the menu at Japanese restaurant Irimoya Bettei in Tokyo. Washoku, the traditional cuisine of Japan, is being considered for designation as part of the worlds priceless cultural heritage by the U.N. this week. But even as sushi and sake booms worldwide, purists say its finer points are candidates for the endangered list at home. The younger generation is increasingly eating Krispy Kreme donuts and McDonalds, not rice. Uda, 47, says he was 17 when he decided to devote his life to washoku. Japanese food is so beautiful to look at, he said. But it takes a lot of time. People are working and busy, and no longer have that kind of time. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi) (credit:AP)
(08 of08)
Open Image Modal
This Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2013 photo shows a sashimi plate of grouper, foreground, and sliced radish marinated with sea tangle, top, at Japanese restaurant Irimoya Bettei in Tokyo. Washoku, the traditional cuisine of Japan, is being considered for designation as part of the worlds priceless cultural heritage by the U.N. this week. But even as sushi and sake booms worldwide, purists say its finer points are candidates for the endangered list at home. The younger generation is increasingly eating Krispy Kreme donuts and McDonalds, not rice. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi) (credit:AP)