Land of the Setting Sun

The sun has set on what is one of Japan’s proudest cultural institutions, at least to judge from the media coverage.

Following the discovery of BSE in a Washington state cow, the Japanese government imposed a ban on the importation of American beef. This has in turn caused the end of Japanese culture as it is currently known.

As American beef supplies in Japan began to dwindle, and the prices rise, major fast food establishments that rely on the cheap beef to serve as gyudon (beef-topped rice bowls) began to announce the end of an era. Newspapers and television news programs lined up and began feeding the public the dire news.

One by one the major chains removed gyudon from their menus. Finally the most venerable of the gyudon chains removed gyudon from its menu in all except its flagship store in order to preserve the 105-year-old tradition of gyudon at Yoshinoya.

The media reported daily on the fall of gyudon chains and the impending demise of the dish. Extensive reporting was done on what the firms were doing to replace the American beef. Sadly, Australian beef does not lend itself to the dish and costs more. Newspaper and television reported on the final shipment of American beef to Yoshinoya’s outlets. TV crews reported live from the midnight departure and stood in the way of the deliverymen making their final rounds. Newspapers carried full-page articles on the event.

Fed by the reporting on the imminent demise of a cultural staple, consumers lined up outside Yoshinoya’s shops to get one last beef bowl. Reports were full of people who had frequented gyudon shops expressing a sense of loss. Other reporters found some who had never tried one in their 25 years’ of life who had rushed to stand in line to sample one before gyudon was consigned to history.

In interviews, long-time gyudon eaters derided the new menu offerings of spiced pork on rice and Japanese curry. Nothing can replace their beloved beef bowl. This weekend, the beef bowl died in Japan.

From the extensive coverage the demise garnered one would think that gyudon has gone forever, and with it went a piece of Japan. Doubtless the government will eventually accept the steps taken by America in certifying its beef safe and once again allow the importation of beef. However, this is not a possibility that has been raised by the chains’ management or the media. When the government does reopen the market, gyudon will rise up from the ashes like a phoenix and a new dawn of Japanese culture unrivaled since the Meiji restoration will commence.