Right Next to the Potato Chips…
July 10, 2009 Japan, Living in Japan
Living in Japan can be a lot of fun, but sometimes there can be some interesting differences between one’s adopted home and natural home. One such example would be Japan’s understanding of cereal. In Canada, cereal would be considered “part of a complete breakfast,” whereas across the ocean a bowl of Special K or Corn Flakes is little more than a snack to tide someone over until dinner.
This becomes incredibly clear when visiting the local grocer. Back home there would be an entire aisle dedicated to both adult and children’s cereals. In Japan, one would be lucky to find more than a few shelves containing half-a-dozen or so options. And where are they? Next to the Sun Chips.
This is my entry in Gakuranman’s July Japan Blog Matsuri.
Comments (6)
If you go to Costco (way out in the burbs), there’s a little larger selection of North American Sugar Cereals.
http://blog.havill.com/2009/02/cereal-and-pancakes-are-desserts-in.html
But you’re right, they’re more common as toppings in ice cream sundaes than as legit breakfast food in Japan.
I don’t think there’s a Costco anywhere near around Gifu or Aichi, and it would seem silly to go all the way to Osaka or Tokyo to get a few boxes of Cap’n Crunch. That said, I might just make the trip if Costco had some Nabisco fig newtons
Yeah, could never get used to the idea of eating fish for breakfast although I probably grew up eating that at some point. What does your wifey like to make for breakfast? I guess you must have eaten traditional Japanese breakfasts when you lived with her family.
Hmmm, Fig Newtons, ketchup chips, it’s funny how all those little differences get magnified when you move away.
LOL, the shortest blog post you’ve ever written?
I make do with cornflakes in Japan, but one box is only good for two bowls. One thing I really do miss, especially in the summer, is orange squash. It’s non-existent here!
129 words in total. The 23rd shortest post on this entire site! The shortest one would be this one, made the day after Reiko and I were (officially) married.
i’m hearin’ ya jason. if they can’t even get the cereal right then no wonder i had no hope of finding a decent breakfast joint to serve me up an omelette or some good ol’ hearty eggs benedict.