4 3
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20
th i ngs you need to know
)
MORE
YUM
FOR
YOUR
YEN
J SSICA KOZUKA
looks
BEYOND
the country’s
classic
DAINTY DINING
to
indulge in
TOKYO’S
take on a
gut-busting,
SUPER-SIZE
FOOD
phenomenon
elicately sliced slivers of raw fish carefully
positioned on small dishes. Compact
bento boxes displaying elaborately
arranged meals. These are some of
the images commonly associated with
Japanese cuisine, where the emphasis in size and
calorie terms has traditionally been on the small but
perfectly formed. In the past it has often been American
restaurants where portions have been measured in kilos
rather than grams, but now it seems Japanese foodies
may also be keen to take a bigger bite.
Perhaps triggered in part by world-famous
competitive eater Takeru Kobayashi showing the
world that a skinny, 58kg Japanese man can really
pack away the food – he has set five world records
for eating meatballs, hot dogs, hamburgers, pasta
and pizza – many Tokyo restaurants are making a
name for themselves with massive menu items that
put even the heartiest of eaters to shame. It’s now
snowballed into a bona fide food phenomenon that’s
been coined
dekamori
.
(
tok ’ s b i gges t b i t es
1 3
d
PHOTOGRAPHY
MERVIN CHUA
FOOD STYLING
PRISIA KEK
