Living to Eat in Japan

Americans love eating.  And we have the pounds to prove it.  But Japanese love FOOD...food culture, food gifts, food TV shows, food conversations, food trips, food stories, new food, etc.  For example, I taught in Japanese college for years.  In one class, students had to keep journals.  What was the topic at least 80% of the time?  Food, followed by Tokyo Disney World and what they ate there.  If you turn on the TV, what will you see...food, people eating food, celebrities talking about food.  What are most children's books and songs about?  Yes, food.  The most popular gifts and souvenirs, the most common reason for day trips, the most interesting topic of conversation...that's right, food.  I was especially struck when I first came here, that so many conversations centered around food and its health benefits.  I was often told what part of the body would benefit from the food I was eating (usually my skin).  Americans eat because it tastes good.  Comparatively speaking, Japanese eat because it's good for them and/or the food is rare or culturally interesting.  What's a big food gap here in food-loving Japan?  Real, cheap, Americanized Mexican food.  It doesn't exist here, and I can't understand why.  An El Paso taco kit has gotten so hard to find and so expensive that I have given it up.  There are some places that serve mayonnaise tacos with ketchup salsa, but what I wouldn't give for a Taco Bell!  I'm telling you, Taco Bell, you're missing an opportunity here!  I would make a day trip to eat at a Taco Bell...contact us (Taco Bell) for help marketing in Japan at www.noah-digital.co.jp/english