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Letter From Tokyo
From premium beef to divine sushi, Japan shines with washoku, one of its top soft power assets
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A bluefin tuna at Sushi Ginza Onodera in Omotesando, Tokyo, on Jan 5. Food is obviously one of Japan’s top soft power assets – even if many outsiders are squeamish about eating natto, raw egg, chicken or horse sashimi, and blowfish.
PHOTO: AFP
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TOKYO – Itadakimasu, or I humbly receive this meal.
This everyday Japanese expression, said before tucking in, is imbued with outsized meaning as it honours everything that made the dish possible – from Mother Nature to the farmers, fishermen, logistics workers, the craftsmen behind the crockery and the chef.
