Japanese sandwich culture shock at the Tokyo Olympics
Japanese sandwich culture shock at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics
The sandwiches handed out to the press during the Tokyo Olympics became the talk of the town. This is probably because many of them differ from what you’d find in Western countries, such as sandwiches, which are sometimes filled with fruit and cream and other times put in bags with their crusts cut off, in what are called “lunch packs.” It became the Japanese sandwich culture shock at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Sandwich culture shock
The lunch packs were first dubbed a “cultural shock” by a number of journalists, but like many other unexpected dishes in Japan, after consumers tried them, the sandwiches proved to be a hit, with the Peanut Cream Sandwich in particular gaining a following.
Lunch packs are available in a wide range of flavors, including some unusual ingredients like ramen and Baskin Robbins ice cream, but it appears that the Olympics organizers chose two of their most popular fillings for visiting foreigners who were likely eating them for the first time.
Sandwiches in Japan are usually made with soft white milk bread and are often light on ingredients, making them more like a snack than a filling meal, unlike sandwiches in other countries, which usually come with the crust included and may contain more wholesome salad-like fillings on wholemeal or multigrain bread.
Not the first lunch culture shock
That doesn’t mean journalists had to go hungry while covering the Olympics; lunch packs were one of the complimentary food options available, with more substantial meals such as bento lunch boxes and ramen available for purchase inside the press center.
It turns out that this wasn’t the first time that lunch became the center of attention at a major athletic event. They became something of a “cult classic” among international reporters covering the 2019 Rugby World Cup, which was held in Japan.
It’s no surprise that the lunch packets made a spectacular return for the Olympics this year, given the favorable response they received from foreign media at the Rugby World Cup. People in Japan were overjoyed when word came out that foreign reporters had developed a soft spot for the lunch packs at the Olympics.
The combined fondness of Japanese and foreigners for lunch packs and convenience stores has truly forged a relationship between locals and visitors from all over the world. These poignant tales of cross-cultural connection are turning out to be the Olympics’ unexpected popularity, as evidenced by this story about a Canadian journalist who fell in love with a 7-Eleven!
Navigating the food in Japan
If you’re coming to Japan for a trip, you might be looking forward to trying all kinds of Japanese food. Or maybe you feel a bit worried about figuring out what local dishes are best to try. In both cases, it is a great idea to do a food tour in Tokyo or Osaka. It is not only fun, you will be sure to taste food and drinks you may not have tried otherwise, and you don’t need to worry about any language barrier.
