Japan Answers 14: Why Japan Sucks -- Food

Many people who haven't been to Japan think it's this great country where everything is perfect like in a fairy tail. I wish to inform people of the realities of living in Japan, and although it is a nice place to live it is good to have a realistic view of life in Japan if you are considering living here some day.

Today's topic is about food. One of the bad points about food in Japan is that it is very expensive. When you go out to eat a restaurant you only get a small portion of food and you pay a lot of money. The Japanese diet is lower in calories than the American diet, so if you're eating a restaurant you are often going to feel frustrated with the small amount of food you get after paying so much at a restaurant.

Everything comes in small quantities here, even in supermarkets. Sizes are different. For example the American S size is the same as the Japanese L size when it comes to drinks. Fruit is prohibitively expensive. Watermelons cost upwards of 25 dollars per melon and mangos are really expensive too. There are also a lot of foods that you may feel you need, but you won't be able to find this easily here, or if you do find them they will be very expensive. It's hard to find dairy products here in Japan that Westerners are used to eating. Life is tough when you have to adapt your diet in such a major way.

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[Spetznaz]

@CuseFan100 the small size is for kids, and the big size is not exactly like he said, maybe medium size of western countries. Thats why youre not going to see a lot of deform grotesque and disgusting fat ass people in japan, like in america for example

[iceboy1671]

Why Japan is awesome -- Anime

[giantlabs]

@Spetznaz

It's not always about the waistline. The lack of nutrition is probably why the average height in Japan is considerably shorter than America.

[lloydthedestroyer]

Why is Japan awesome - food!!!

[kagairu]

Interesting vid. I have the opposite complaint when I go outside of Japan, that the food portions are massive and I feel like I'm wasting it because I usually can't eat it all...But hey, if you look on the bright side, it may not be satisfying but small portions will be good for your health (if it's not stressing you out too much).

[LancerJak]

Interesting. I was in Japan two years ago and I didn't have that much or a problem with that. I will agree you'll be snacking quite a bit if your used to an American diet but the vending machine restaurant and family restaurant was pretty cheap and big portion. Your so right about dairy, it's nearly impossible to see it. And I was super craving a taco or a burrito after the first week in Japan.

[rainbowrants]

I though food was cheaper at restraunt than in Canada. And VERY cheap in the grocery store compaired to canada. My larger friends woud complain about the small portions, but....they are large human size, so thats their problem. But humans naturally don't need to consume more than needed, so theres no need for large portons. Actually. I find a lot of restraunts give me larger portions than needed in Japan.

Though some fruit is expensive, mellons etc. But pineapple is cheap

[2011blueman]

American's small size was a large size in American 30 years ago. Everything has gotten bigger (including the people).

That being said, the fruit prices over there are unreal and I considered buying a farm there to produce large quantities for reasonable prices.

[lovelyJaneYeah]

@Gokaiger203heroes Anime

[WaffleBrother]

A WATERMELON FOR 25 DOLLARS ! ! !

YIKES !

[agrodolce33]

i wonder that this is a negative part of japan for you. USA have really a not normal way of eating. All over the world japanese fastfood L is also a L. US L menu is just sick. That why the US have so many fat people. I will pay 1500 yen for a "normal" japanese manu than 6 dollar all you can eat in the US. The point is that US are used to produced food! And the food is not low quality. Bad quality food i anly hade in the US.

[NipponNoUtaIchiban]

sorry for the small size in japan but we japanese dont want you getting fat like america ^^