The Japanese professional understanding of dashi goes beyond technique into philosophy — the concept that a great dashi is invisible (it should not taste of kombu or katsuobushi but of an indefinable depth that makes everything it touches more of itself), and that the making of dashi is the first test of a Japanese professional cook's skill. Tsuji established this; the professional school texts develop it further.
The philosophical framework for dashi — documented from Japanese professional sources.
JAPANESE CULINARY TRADITION — DEEP EXTRACTION