Cool Japan: Takeout

 ■Cool Japan: Takeout

NHK Cool Japan “Takeout” episode.

In my neighborhood too, Japanese, Western, and Chinese places all started doing takeout, and around lunchtime the streets got lively with people calling out, “We have bento!”

Japanese cuisine, with lots of soups and noodles that stretch easily, didn’t really lend itself to takeout—but this is the result of tearful efforts during COVID.

“Takeout Surge”

Chinese, curry, French, Italian—everyone started takeout.

There’s a foundation in bento culture.

Food designed to taste good even when cold.

Visual presentation through small portions and careful arrangement.

Containers that are easy to obtain for that purpose.

In Japan, where takeout and takeaway weren’t very common before, a new bento culture has been born through COVID.

“Ramen”

Ramen appears again and again in this program.

In the past, ramen delivered as “demae”—something like takeout or delivery—was often soggy and cold.

But it has been evolving rapidly, and even what’s sold in convenience stores is now quite delicious.

They keep developing, obsessing over noodle texture and soup.

That level of dedication is almost abnormal.

And with COVID, new innovations are emerging.

I’m impressed.

There are over 30,000 ramen shops in Japan, and even during COVID everyone continues refining their flavors.

“Edible Containers”

Japan has long devised ways to eat fish completely, even down to the bones.

And yet, over the past few decades, we’ve been throwing away containers and chopsticks—maybe that was a bit off track.

But making something “edible” to reduce waste, and making it “delicious” at the same time—that feels very Japanese.

Food was one of the sectors most heavily damaged by COVID.

But at the same time, it is trying to use that as a springboard to create new culture.

After COVID settles down, it would be nice if this rich takeout culture remains.