ABSTRACT
This chapter traces a six decade-long odyssey – one that saw Japanese food acquiring a cosmopolitan representational capacity as it intersects with the advance of the upwardly mobile middle-classes in Hong Kong. In this long journey, Japanese food evolved from providing a sense of home to Japanese expatriates in Hong Kong to representing a symbol of sophistication for local residents. How did Japanese food evolve from being a niche cuisine for Japanese executives in Hong Kong to a symbol of sophistication for local residents? The first axis of this story relates to the expansion of Japanese business in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia from the mid-1950s onwards. As “Made in Japan” products began to find their way into regional markets, Japanese food was brought into the territory to satisfy the demands of homesick senior Japanese executives and their family members. The signing of the 1984 Joint Declaration, which set out the terms of the British colony’s return to China in 1997, provoked an unprecedented discussion of issues of identity and social mobility among the city’s inhabitants. Japanese staples, such as sushi and sashimi, made accessible by the opening of Japanese supermarkets in the suburbs, became emblematic of the cultivated lifestyle that set Hong Kong’s middle class apart from their cousins across the border in Mainland China. Thus, the second axis of this story relates to how the consumption of Japanese food helped foster the development of a distinct Hong Kong identity among the territory’s predominantly Chinese population. The third axis concerns the emergence, from the 1990s, of a younger set of local consumers of Japanese food, at a time when it was gaining the status of a worldwide indicator of cosmopolitan sophistication. As Hong Kong’ s economy continued to grow, Hong Kong teenagers began to expand their culinary horizons, from typical local noodles and American fast food to Japanese ramen noodles and gyo-za dumplings. In effect, both ramen and gyo-za have their roots in China: they represent a refined Japanese take on two basic Chinese dishes. These Japanese adaptations have been embraced by young Hong Kongers since they add a touch of cosmopolitan taste and choice to what might be an otherwise mundane dining experience. Through the examination of these three axes, this chapter frames the relationship between a people’ s foodways, mobility, and transnational framings of taste as an interactive process.
