From the magazine

The best way to approach sake 

Bruce Anderson
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EXPLORE THE ISSUE 08 February 2025
issue 08 February 2025

We were discussing civilisation, as one does, and its relationship with cuisine. Pasta in Italy, paella in Spain, the roast beef of Old England; wurst in Germany, burgers in the States –though with those latter examples we are moving away from the concept.

What about Japan, a complex society which is full of paradoxes? For three-quarters of a century, the Meiji Restoration was the most successful revolution since the Glorious Revolution itself. It was part of a process which opened Japan to western influences and vice versa. Rather as in the UK, ancient forms were preserved, which helped to ensure social stability during a period of rapid change.

Japan often bewilders westerners. By our standards, the move from status to contract is incomplete and the language can often cause confusion. Hank from Houston arrives in Tokyo and outlines a deal. ‘Yes,’ his hosts reply, so he presses on. More yeses. The Yank is exultant. ‘I thought this was supposed to be a tricky place to do business: wait until I tell head office how well I’ve done.’ Tricky: he does not know the tenth of it. No one has told him that the Japanese have as many ways of saying ‘yes’ as there are letters in the alphabet. They do include yes itself, but also: ‘You must be plumb crazy.’ Poor Hank.

In his days as a minister, my friend Richard Needham did a lot to promote Anglo-Japanese relations. I remember a dinner he gave in Hillsborough Castle, where visiting Japanese businessmen were delighted to feast on eel from Lough Neagh and end by singing ‘Danny Boy’.

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