The headline says "meat was banned" but according to the article the eating of birds, fish, dolphins, whales, etc were not banned. Last I checked the birds, fish, dolphins, whales, etc are animals and meat is the flesh of animals.<p>> Even before Buddhism, meat wasn’t an essential part of the Japanese diet.<p>Seems like it was essential and desired, but people couldn't get as much of it as they wanted because of the lack of resources. If meat wasn't essential, it wouldn't take a decree from the emperor along with religious edicts to "ban meat".<p>Also, the ban didn't mean much as meat was consumed regardless.<p>"Plus, the Japanese aristocracy never completely gave up the practice. There are records of taxes paid and gifts sent to emperors in the form of pork, beef, and even milk. Meat was still taboo among the upper classes, but it was often treated as a special food with medicinal properties. (Even Buddhist monks could occasionally consume meat on doctor’s orders.) In the 18th century, the Hikone Clan sent their annual gift of beef pickled in sake to the shogun in packages labeled as medicine. Birds were more acceptable as foodstuff than mammals, and dolphin and whale was frequently eaten, as they were considered fish."<p>If I recall, the japanese, particularly the elites, simply bypassed the ban by labeling land animals like pigs - land whales or claiming the meat as medicine.<p>Also, as the article noted, the "banning of the meat" simply weakened the japanese people ( especially the lower class ) physically and mentally. It stunted people's physical and mental development and probably made it easier for the elites to control. But in the long term, it left them too weak to defend themselves from meat eaters.