My Favorite Piece of Japanese Culture
1 年・藤井美由紀
Do you ever notice your mother cooking in the kitchen early in the morning? Of course, she
is preparing an obento for you. Probably most Japanese people have had this experience, for
example, on a school trip, or sports day. A lot of people eat obento every day. So Japanese people
don’t think obento is very special. But this is not usually the case abroad. It is a wonderful piece of
culture peculiar to Japan.
I think this culture is very wonderful and I love it very much, because I think it reflects how
considerate Japanese people are and how we cherish things.
The Japanese obento has a lot of good points. First, it is very healthy. Japanese mothers
usually make an obento with a pleasing balance of colors in mind. So, it makes a well-balanced diet.
Second, it is economical. Most Japanese mothers make obento by using leftovers. So we don’t have
to pay extra money. “Healthy” and “economical,” these words are always in the mind of Japanese
people, I think. People in Japan have treasured their food, belongings and family for a long time. A
healthy obento means being considerate of family members. An economical obento means making
good use of money or things. For these reasons the obento is a great symbol of Japan.
Some people say, “It takes a long time to make an obento. I am too busy early in the morning.
I can buy lunch at the convenience store. ” But I object to this opinion, because I don’t think that
making an obento takes a lot of time. Many Japanese mothers have an efficient way to make it. For
example, they prepare the ingredients the previous day, and they know how to make an effective
use of leftovers in order to save time for cooking. Also, children feel happy when they eat their
obento, whether or not it has taken a lot of time and effort.
I hear the obento is becoming popular abroad these days, and many foreign people are trying
to make it. I was so happy to hear that. I think if this culture spreads even more, the world will be
filled with many people who have a kind heart. It is very delightful thing! I think it is very
wonderful to connect to the world with the Japanese culture. So, I want to spread this culture to
foreign people. And I think we should be proud of this culture and treasure it forever.
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