What the Japanese used to eat all the time was "fake Chinese food"? This street records the "magic reform history" of Chinese food in Japan

Text | Ding Guizi Observer of Outlook Think Tank Fu Lijun (Intern)

Source丨Outlook Think Tank

In the back kitchen of a restaurant chain in Japan, the chef skillfully tosses and stir-frys, and a seductive "Mapo Tofu" is about to be completed.

"There is still the most important step left." Saying that, he added frozen strawberries to the pot...

Many customers said that "strawberry mapo tofu" was "unexpectedly delicious." ”

In Japan, sweet mapo tofu and rice made with soy sauce and salt are centuries-old "Chinese cuisines" that have been passed down for generations, even if the taste and practice of these dishes are far from the real Chinese food.

However, in recent years, many century-old "Chinese restaurants" have closed down, and the market for original Chinese food such as boiled fish, spicy hot, and hot pot has rapidly expanded, and the term "authentic Chinese food" has become a hot new word in Japan.

The Japanese people finally discovered that what they had been eating was "fake Chinese food".

1

If you want to know the taste of China, you must eat "real China"

Aaka, a Japanese netizen who is full of faith in eating, never thought that he would one day stand outside the gourmet restaurant and hesitate.

In recent years, she has found that a number of new Chinese restaurants near her home that "only sell spicy hot" are booming. Aaka, who had never eaten before, mustered up the courage to try it out, but he couldn't find the menu that is common in traditional restaurants, and only a variety of meatballs and vegetables were in front of him. She had to follow the example of other customers, pick up the dining bowl and clamps, choose randomly according to her feelings, check out the bill in the clouds, and sit and wait to eat.

"I thought it would be a failed 'shop visit'," but after only a few bites, Aka was deeply impressed by the rich bone broth and the "unknown balls" soaked in the soup. ”

After returning home, the more Aka thought about it, the more regretful he became, "It's time to get ready to go again, I don't know how to order this time, I must have missed a lot of delicious dishes." In order to plan a perfect spicy hot food trip, she searched for strategies on social platforms and found that "how to look skillful ordering a bowl of spicy hot" has been thoroughly pondered by Japanese netizens.

Someone summed up the whole process of "calmly eating spicy hot": from greeting the clerk naturally, to skillfully selecting dishes with tongs, to which dishes and which flavors are best matched, everything is included. Many people called out the novelty after watching it, and compared to the name of the dish marked in the tutorial, they seriously matched their own exclusive spicy hot.

As spicy hot food has sparked a boom of discussion on the Japanese Internet, more and more people are looking for authentic Chinese flavors, which they call "real Chinese" or "authentic Chinese food". Soon, someone published a book dedicated to authentic Chinese food, spicy hotpot, Sichuan-Chongqing hot pot, skewers, boiled fish... The 145 dishes refreshed the perception of the Japanese people.

So, what kind of Chinese food can be called "real China"? Following the "shop visit" of Japanese media and video bloggers, people have summarized several judgment criteria.

The first is the dining environment.

The decoration of the store should add Chinese elements, such as Beijing Opera faces, paper fan Xiangyun, Chinese dragons, giant pandas, and even directly "move" the northeast farmhouse to the streets of Japan.

Tableware should use blue and white porcelain bowls, wine cups, the walls should be plastered with Chinese Internet buzzwords, the background music should be Chinese pop music, it is best to invite a few more Chinese to sing live.

Of course, the most important point is the pure-sounding "Welcome" that guests hear when they enter the door.

Then there are the service features.

The menu is full of Chinese, and the waiters don't know much Japanese. When entering such a store, Japanese people always breathe a sigh of relief, "This is authentic enough." ”

In the face of food, language is not a problem. Japanese customers will not only consciously open the mobile phone translation software, but also prepare in advance "the bilingual version of the dialogue commonly used in authentic Chinese restaurants".

Finally, there is how to eat and taste.

A small food court that gathers special snacks from all over China, and even the internal layout is the same as the domestic food city. The chef and raw materials are all from China, guaranteeing absolute authenticity, and guests can taste the representative cuisine of various places on one floor.

In the rotary hot pot restaurant, take what you want to eat directly, calculate the money and sign it directly, and the ceremony is full. If any store has pudding-shaped duck blood, it is like mastering the "traffic code" of the restaurant industry, and you no longer have to worry about not having customers visiting.

If you can add another panda-shaped chili oil, it will be the icing on the cake.

In addition, authentic Chinese food also has a lot of "soul infuse" operations. For example, boiled fish should be purchased from China, meat dumpling shops sell marinated duck necks by the way, fritters and soy milk are a perfect match, and so on.

After a full meal, the Japanese, who had not yet recovered their senses, were surprised by the short video that played on the loop in the store, "It turns out that you can advertise like this!" ”

Relying on short videos on social media to promote gourmet restaurants, this common propaganda method in China is still a new thing in Japan. After opening a store in Japan, a Sichuan chain hot pot brand made a name for itself with a short video, which attracted 70,000 viewers in a short period of time. Many people go with their mobile phones to enjoy authentic Chinese flavors.

Nowadays, there are more and more Japanese customers in authentic Chinese restaurants.

Whether you're on the streets of Tokyo, in the streets of Yokohama, or in the bustling city of Osaka, you can feel that authentic Chinese cuisine is slowly conquering the stomachs of Japanese people.

Li Yang, a restaurant operator, said that although it was his original intention to open a store for Chinese in Japan, Japanese customers now account for 40%-50% of the total customer flow.

When they curiously enter a Chinese restaurant, the impression of Chinese food will be rewritten:

"This is really different from the Chinese restaurant that has been open on the street for 100 years!"

2

A street that records the "magic reform history" of Chinese food in Japan

What does a "Chinese restaurant on the street open for 100 years" look like?

From Motomachi Chinatown Station on the Yokohama Coast, it takes about 5 minutes to walk to a narrow street. Lin Jian, the head of the "Century-old Chinese Restaurant" Wanzhen Building, was standing on the street, raising his hand and gently pointing, "The names of these streets are still given by me." ”

This is the largest Chinatown in Asia, Yokohama Chinatown. This is where the Japanese perception of Chinese food begins.

More than 160 years ago, Yokohama was just an ordinary village, and it was forced to open its port after the conclusion of the Treaty of Amity and Commerce between Japan and the United States (1858), which became an important window for Japan's opening to the outside world. A large influx of foreign merchants, translators and compradors, many of them Chinese, gathered and took root here.

In 1868, the prototype of Yokohama's Chinatown appeared. After waiting another 10 years, the Qing government opened consulates in places such as Nagasaki and Yokohama, and the local overseas Chinese really gained the right of residence. At the same time, the Chinese Association and Hometown Association also connected people, and the scale of Chinatown continued to expand.

After the Sino-Japanese War, the status and strength of China and Japan reversed, the Japanese government began to restrict Chinese to go to Japan as laborers, and commercial activities in Chinatown were also suppressed, and people had to rely on service industries such as catering to make a living. The famous Wanzhen Building and Pingzhen Building started in this context. Since then, it has gone through half a century of war and turmoil to usher in a relatively stable development environment.

In Japan in the 50s of the 20th century, there was a shortage of materials and food. People in Yokohama's Chinatown set up humble stalls to feed themselves and make a living. With the economic recovery after the war, the sporadic stalls were transformed into elaborately decorated restaurants, namely Chinese restaurants. Every New Year's holiday, there are overseas Chinese and overseas Chinese who take the whole family to eat Chinese New Year's Eve and eat to relieve homesickness.

Many Japanese literary heroes are also frequent customers of Chinese restaurants: Junichiro Tanizaki comes here to relax after "putting everything in order" on the night of the first moon; Atsushi Nakajima recited Hiroshi Lou cuisine with 14 tanks, and dishes such as roast duck in the open oven, sweet and sour tenderloin, and corn soup can still be ordered.

After the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Japan, close exchanges between the two countries have further promoted the prosperity of Chinatown. In the 80s of the 20th century, more than 50,000 tourists visited the city every day, which led to the rise of the surrounding service industry, and the operating income jumped to the top of all scenic spots in Kanagawa Prefecture.

Japan's pursuit of Chinese cuisine has also leapt out of Chinatown and spread to the whole society. Various TV shows open their doors to Chinese chefs, and a variety of Chinese cuisine has provided creative inspiration for cartoonists and documentary filmmakers.

Even at the height of Japan's bubble economy in the late 80s, appointments were required a week in advance, and a day's turnover could reach more than 5 million yen.

With the increase in the number of Chinese restaurants and the intensification of competition, the audience is no longer limited to overseas Chinese. In order to attract more Japanese customers, the merchants have made local changes according to their light tastes and eating habits, and reduced the use of oils and spices. It can be said that Japanese Chinese cuisine is actually quite far from real Chinese food.

For example, egg fried rice. This homemade dish is considered a typical example of Chinese cuisine in Japan. Chinese fried rice pursues the taste of Q bomb, puts more oil, and the moisture of the rice grains is moderate. Japanese people like to have a crispy texture with less oil and moisture, and they are often served with a bowl of miso soup. Or add crab meat and crab roe and chopped green onion to the stir-made egg mixture, stir-fry and cover the rice whole, and then pour a sauce.

For example, gyoza and yakiniku are not staple foods in Japan, but meat dishes. Pork dumplings are fried directly in the pan until golden brown and crispy, then served upside down on a plate and served with rice, miso soup or ramen.

It is believed that the above high-calorie eating methods provided people with sufficient energy in the post-war barren years and have been passed down to this day.

Another example is mapo tofu. Chinese mapo tofu requires hemp, spicy, hot, crispy, tender and whole, while Japanese mapo tofu uses chili pepper instead of peppercorns and eight-diced miso instead of bean paste to reduce the spicy taste; Some even add sweet noodle sauce and Japanese soy sauce to get a plate of salty and sweet mapo tofu. The word "mapo" has also become a symbol of studying authenticity, so there are magical dishes such as mapo eggplant, mapo spring rain, strawberry mapo tofu and so on.

It was not until after the reform and opening up that another group of overseas Chinese opened Chinese restaurants in Chinatown, which are different from traditional Chinese restaurants, generally run by Chinese in Japan, overseas Chinese or professionally trained people with formal chef qualifications, and the taste is closer to authentic Chinese food.

However, the long-established mindset of the Japanese is difficult to break, and when it comes to Chinese food, the first thing that comes to mind is all kinds of buns, rice with thick rice, and mapo tofu that is not spicy.

In the 21st century, with the continuous development of Japan's tourism industry, Chinatown continues to prosper. Today, when you get off at JR Ishikawacho Station, you can enjoy the smell of Chinese cuisine. There are more than 100 restaurants on the 100-meter long street, and about 20 million tourists stroll here every year in search of Chinese delicacies.

3

The withering of a century-old brand

It all came to an abrupt end at the turn of spring and winter 2020.

After the outbreak of the new crown pneumonia epidemic, Japan's catering and tourism industries have been hit hard, and the busy Yokohama Chinatown has also become empty, and the number of tourists in March is only about 10% of the same period of the previous year.

Local businesses said that the current depression was the first time they had encountered it, and they had to calculate rent, water and electricity costs. In order to save themselves, some stores have also introduced a "drive-thru" method in which customers can take away their pre-ordered meals without getting out of the car.

But there are still many stores that have not been able to hold up.

In March 2022, the Yokohama Main Store announced that it was closing its store, completely disappearing into this century-old street with the prototype of Chinese cuisine remembered by the older generation of Japanese. Later, its operating company, Hijinlou (Naka-ku, Yokohama), was forced into bankruptcy due to poor management.

Many local residents came to take photos in front of the building and left messages on social platforms:

"Since I first went when I was a 19-year-old girl, it's the restaurant I've always loved. Thank you very much, I like the taste and atmosphere of the main store. ”

"The closure of the building has attracted a lot of customers, and I personally have many memories."

In addition to the direct impact of the epidemic, the disconnect between the development path and reality has also laid the groundwork for the decline of Pingzhen Building.

According to Nobumasa Takahashi, chairman of the Yokohama Chinatown Development Association, the core of people visiting Chinatown has changed significantly.

In the past, the guests of Chinatown were mainly ordered by groups such as alumni associations and enterprises. Some netizens who have lived near Chinatown for nearly 15 years said that except for company dinners and wine banquets, he basically did not eat at a Chinese restaurant here.

Today, from the perspective of consumption structure, the middle and low-income classes account for eighty percent of Japan's total population. There are more and more individual customers in their 20s in Chinatown, who are not overly pursuing rich and gorgeous food, but are more willing to eat a little of everything for relatively little money, and then take photos and post them online.

The long-term focus of Pingzhen Building is mainly for family gatherings and business negotiations for group meals, and the age group of customers is high, the price is expensive, and the per capita is about 500-1000 yuan. Apart from the well-known mapo tofu and shredded green pepper meat, there are not many dishes that attract young people.

The single-taste Japanese Chinese food does not meet the needs of emerging consumers, and brand marketing cannot keep up with the pace of the times, in addition to the shortcomings of "Laozi passing on sons" and clear internal hierarchies, which put layers of shackles on the development of Pingzhen Lou. As early as 2017, due to the large increase in the rental burden and the deterioration of the income situation, it decided to initiate a special liquidation.

The decay of century-old brands also confirms the development dilemma of traditional Japanese Chinese food.

Video blogger "Takahashi TK" once introduced his real feeling of visiting Yokohama Chinatown.

The first is that there are many people, and like many popular tourist attractions, it is the norm to not be able to walk the road.

Secondly, although Guangdong, Shanghai, Jiangsu and Sichuan are all available, the cuisine and region are often misaligned.

Next to the signboard of Chinatown is a Beijing restaurant, which sells meat buns, shredded meat in Beijing sauce, kung pao chicken, and shredded fish-flavored meat. The Wangfujing Hotel, diagonally opposite the Beijing Hotel, also sells buns. Further on, a Sichuan restaurant based on mapo tofu, named Jingdezhen, also sells xiaolongbao at the door.

Finally, the prices of the main street shops are on the high side.

Chongqing Tea House, a dish is about 1,000 yen, and the amount of dishes is about half that of domestic home-cooked restaurants; Peking duck 250 yen a roll... In Yokohama's Chinatown, a meal per person costs about 300-400 yuan, which is comparable to Chinese food in Tokyo's high-end hotels.

On major social media, many people have also complained about the dining problems in some shops in Chinatown, which are highlighted by: poor service attitude, unreasonable prices or not notified in advance, unauthentic taste or fresh ingredients, and some even ready-to-eat prepared dishes.

It can be seen that the commercialization atmosphere quietly conceals people's pursuit of taste, innovation and authenticity, and many stores gradually lose customer trust and their reputation declines. The sudden epidemic accelerated the reshuffle of roles, and the century-old street ushered in a wave of renewal.

4

Chinatown welcomes a new owner

For Kiyokai Yamashita, an emeritus professor at the University of Tsukuba, the closure of the Yokohama Main Store is symbolic, and the people responsible for Yokohama's Chinatown have changed from old to new.

Affected by the epidemic, Japan has seen a large-scale "wave of closures". According to a survey by the Nikkei Shimbun, as of October 2021, more than 45,000 restaurants across Japan had closed, equivalent to more than 10% of Japanese restaurants. The number of Chinese restaurants in Yokohama's Chinatown has also decreased from more than 200 to 166.

With the increase in vacant shops and the reduction of shop rents, many Chinese operators saw business opportunities and entered the catering market with sauerkraut fish, spicy hot, spicy fragrant pot, and steamed vegetables, becoming the "new owners" of Yokohama's Chinatown. These Chinese foods are no longer adapted according to Japanese customs, but specially imported seasoning materials from China, introduced chefs, and completely inherit Chinese taste.

At the same time, young consumers in Japan learn about and expect to experience real Chinese cuisine through the Internet. Some consumers praised while eating: "After living for 30 years, it is the first time that I have found such a delicacy in the world!" ”

With travel restrictions during the pandemic, these restaurants allow Japanese people to enjoy authentic Chinese cuisine without leaving the country. In addition, it is different from the "sitting table" style of Japanese Chinese cuisine, which is cheap, fast and cost-effective, and it is easier to meet the working meal needs of Japanese wage earners. Although there is no sense of ritual sitting in a high-end restaurant, people are no longer willing to pay for this added value in the overall downturn of the Japanese economy.

In addition, according to a survey conducted by the Japanese website "Takeaway Research Institute", in the past three years, the level of Japanese people, who have always had a light taste, has greatly improved, and 1 in 5 people say that they like spicy food very much. When eating spicy, the body secretes a lot of endorphins, which make people feel happy and euphoric, thereby relieving stress. The analysis believes that the epidemic has affected economic development and pushed up the pressure on the lives of Japanese people, which is the reason for the significant increase in their spicy level.

All this has contributed to the popularity of authentic Chinese restaurants in Japan, which is why we observe the scene mentioned at the beginning of the article where "Japanese people study how to eat spicy hot".

This is not unique to Yokohama's Chinatown. In Tokyo, there are even "three sacred places of authentic Chinese cuisine": Shinjuku Ward, Ikebukuro Ward, Koiwa and Shin-Koiwa District, with a large number of Chinese shops lined up with a variety of cuisines.

Taste is important to food. Although the Chinese dishes that are very famous in Japan are in line with the eating habits of the locals, the taste is relatively simple, which is far from the real Chinese food. Many merchants blindly pursue commercial benefits, and do not know much about the history and cultural origins behind the cuisines of various parts of China, resulting in Chinese cuisine that is only colorful and unintentional.

Nowadays, authentic Chinese food no longer caters to it, but shows its own characteristics; Not only does it refresh the perception of Japanese people with taste, but it also skillfully integrates regional customs related to food to create a truly original Chinese taste. Some traditional Chinese restaurants have also begun to add authentic Chinese food to their recipes to find new opportunities for development.

Generations of efforts have brought Japan one step closer to a comprehensive understanding of real Chinese cuisine.

Column editor-in-chief: Qin Hong Text editor: Yang Rong Title picture source: Xinhua News Agency Photo editor: Zhu Jun

Source: Author: Ding Guizi Fu Lijun, Wang Think Tank