Souls of Zen: A Shared Ritual
Droog presents an immersive afternoon bringing together ritual food experience and ethnographic cinema.
At the center of the gathering is a screening of Souls of Zen, accompanied by a live sushi-making ritual and shared tasting experience by ASA Vegan Sushi.
Guests are invited not only to watch and eat, but to observe allowing food, gesture, sound, and image to unfold together in time. This event is a joint project by culinary artist Asako Kato (ASA Vegan Sushi) and film curator Alya Yumrukçal (Droog).
The ritual of making and eating
The sushi is prepared live as part of the shared experience. Guests are invited to enter the world of the film slowly and to engage with the food attentively during the screening.
Each guest receives four pieces of vegan sushi:
• Three pieces of Asako’s signature sushi
• One mini onigiri
These are enjoyed during the screening, creating a shared moment that reflects Zen not as a formal religious practice, but as a lived philosophy present in everyday gestures, intention, and attention.
About ASA Vegan Sushi
Through ASA Vegan Sushi, Asako Kato explores sushi not only as food, but as an embodiment of Japanese philosophy — living in harmony with nature and seeking the intrinsic beauty of each element.
The film: Souls of Zen
Souls of Zen (2011) Buddhism, Ancestors, and the 2011 Tsunami in Japan is a documentary based on ethnographic fieldwork conducted in the aftermath of the 3/11 disasters. Filmed by Tim Graf and Jakob Montrasio, the film follows Buddhist clergy and communities as they navigate ritual, mourning, and collective recovery in the wake of catastrophe.
A short Q&A with the film’s director will follow the screening, offering space for reflection and exchange.
Information
Date: 21 March
Time: 3:00 PM
Ticket price includes four pieces of vegan sushi.
Drinks will be available for purchase, including tea and low-alcohol pairing options.
Capacity is limited to preserve the intimacy of the experience.
Photo credits: Elmer Driessen, An De Smedt
