WIT Life #68: The Role of Rice in Japan
Anecdote Article, Japan Trends, Translating/Interpreting, WIT Life 
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WITLife is a periodic series written by professional Translator/Interpreter/Writer Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken, 2000-03). Recently she’s been watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese and sharing some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.
I recently came across this article from the end of last year in the Economist that discusses how deeply rice is embedded in Japanese society. Some aspects like the designation of Emperor Akihito as Japan’s “rice-farmer-in-chief” are humorous, and the in-depth look at the history of this crop that is so central to Japanese culture is fascinating. The author’s description of a rice-producing area of Niigata suffering from a rural exodus is vividly drawn, and interviews with some of the residents are eye opening. While reading the article I kept flashing back to my experience of doing 田植え (taue, or rice planting) in the Kumamoto countryside and how much I enjoyed participating in this communal activity. I also recalled how Japanese friends always thought I was crazy for loving the dish I called “gyunyu gohan (rice with milk),” which became my comfort food while living in Japan. My assertion that it was similar in nature to certain types of Thai desserts didn’t go far in convincing them.
I’m currently interpreting for a Japanese delegation that is in the first week of their travels, and inevitably the call for rice has already come up. Last night’s dinner at a pan-Asian restaurant seemed to provide them with a sense of security, though they were concerned about where the rice came from. That reminded me of where the article highlights a young man in Tokyo who runs a rice specialty restaurant and offers the theory that “Japanese bodies are made from rice, and that the Japanese people should only eat rice grown in Japan.” In believing that the “spirit of rice” is part of the Japanese DNA, he has appropriately named his restaurant Kokoromai or “Heart of Rice.” Perhaps instilling this sort of appreciation for rice is necessary, as for the younger generation harvesting this crop has lost its luster.
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