#14 Popular Japanese Culture Overseas! Looking Back at Challenging Questions Asked by Foreigners
In this episode, we discuss the questions about Japanese culture that often come up abroad and can be surprisingly difficult to answer. How do we respond to these simple, yet profound inquiries from our local friends?
We received a question about whether Onigiri and Sushi are the same.
Living in Japan, food culture seems obvious, but to people overseas, the line between Onigiri and Sushi can be blurry. From the perspective of those in rice-centric cultures, both appear simply as 'shaped rice,' and we discuss the humor found in these differing viewpoints.
We also touch upon the surprising status of Maki-zushi.
Maki-zushi found in places like the United States has evolved in unique ways not seen in Japan. By learning how sushi is enjoyed differently abroad, the fascination of Japanese cuisine and the image of Japanese culture seen through foreign eyes become clearer.
We also struggle with how to answer difficult questions.
Beyond just food, we are sometimes hit with questions that require explaining historical backgrounds or social circumstances, such as the existence of the Yakuza. How can we convey context concisely while correcting misunderstandings? We discuss the difficulty of communication, sharing a specific episode. The conversation goes much deeper, so please be sure to listen to the full episode.
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