Lucky Chow

Japan: Food As Fetis

Japan has mesmerized American foodies for generations and a new wave of Japanese culinary culture continues to intoxicate us. Exploring American manifestations of otaku, the Japanese trope that combines cutting-edge pop culture with fetishistic obsession, Danielle visits New York's first cat cafe; a Brooklyn izakaya run by a Frenchman in thrall to Japanese anime and manga; and a California suburban mom who's a star on the international bento-box circuit. On a more traditional note, Danielle gets in the sumo ring with a 600-pound opponent and then helps him make chanko nabe, the sumo wrestler's staple meal.