The Japanese Palate | Hideyuki Tokuda (Dean of the Graduate School of Media and Governance)
2005.04.25
I often hear it said that our food preferences are established by the time we turn 18. I don't know if there is any evidence to support this theory, but personally, I find it quite convincing.
Born and raised in Tokyo, I have no problem with the dark color of the broth for soba and udon noodles. However, I often hear from people from the Kansai region that they are surprised by the dark color of the broth in the Kanto region. On the other hand, it's not that I lose my appetite for udon with a clear soup; in fact, I find that Sanuki udon from Shikoku has a better texture and tastes more delicious than Kanto udon.
When I was a student in the Doctoral Programs in Canada, I once invited my research colleagues from the university's CCNG (Computer Communications Networks Group) to my home for yudofu (boiled tofu). One of the Canadians declared that yudofu and Coke were the best match. He claimed that the ponzu sauce, ginger, and Coke were a perfect combination. However, another Canadian who could drink alcohol insisted that Japanese sake was the best pairing. We had a lively debate about how Coke and yudofu could possibly go together. It turned out that this person had been drinking Coke for breakfast, lunch, and dinner since he was a child and had grown up feeling that Coke goes with everything. Also, there are some people in Canada who drink beer with salt in it. This is similar to the Japanese practice of drinking sake from a masu (a square wooden cup) with salt, or the Mexican custom of drinking tequila from a salt-rimmed glass. I tried it a few times myself, but all I noticed was that it foamed up when the salt was added; I didn't feel that it enhanced the flavor of the beer.
Now, starting this semester, the SFC Faculty Club has become an Italian restaurant called "Tablier." I recall that when this plan was decided, Dean Kojima asked, half-jokingly, "Does this mean we can't eat soba, udon, or donburi anymore? No more soy sauce flavors?" It has been a while since the new Faculty Club opened, and it seems to be off to a good start. But what about those of us who eat there every day?
I often use the Faculty Club with students, and I have noticed a significant change. I like Italian food, and I used to love pasta. However, after eating Italian food several times a week, it feels as if olive oil is accumulating in my body. Lately, my body has been telling me that it wants to avoid Italian food at night. It seems that even for someone like me, having Italian food so frequently is tough. Yes, in the summer, I also want to eat light dishes like zaru soba and hiyashi chuka.
It seems that the "taste of Japan" is ingrained in my body, and once a certain threshold is crossed, it naturally seeks to replenish what is missing. I am surprised to be experiencing this change myself when it has not even been a month, but I sincerely hope that the Faculty Club will be enhanced with a varied menu that incorporates the "taste of Japan."
(Posted: 2005/04/25)