Food, Baths, and a World in Continuous Formation

— The Japanese Way of “Preference” and Adaptation —

Watching the Portugal vs. Uzbekistan match yesterday, I was struck by Portugal’s attitude — almost nonchalant, as if to say, “We might concede goals, sure — but if we want to score, we can score against anyone.”

It felt like a style rooted not in reacting excessively to opponents or circumstances, but in having a strong internal axis and playing from that foundation.

Today, I attended a school lunch tasting event at my child’s school. Once again, I was reminded of how unique Japan’s school lunch system truly is.

Japan’s school lunches are provided under the School Lunch Act, which defines seven objectives. These go beyond simple nutrition to include understanding food culture, fostering social skills, and cultivating a sense of gratitude.

In other words, in Japan, eating is not merely an act of calorie intake. It is culture, a way of life, and even a form of education.

This perspective might feel somewhat unusual from a global standpoint. For those who see food purely as a functional necessity, it may even seem excessive.

Cooking Rice — even on the Moon

It made me think of this:

If humanity were to settle on the Moon or Mars, Japanese people would almost certainly want to cook rice. If possible, they would even bring rice cookers — trying to recreate that familiar, steaming bowl of rice.

The same goes for bathing. Rather than settling for a quick shower, they would likely go to great lengths to create an environment where they could soak in a bathtub.

At first glance, this might seem like a lack of adaptability. Why not simply adjust to the environment?

But looking closer, there is another kind of strength hidden here.

The Challenge of Cooking Good Rice in the Sky

A symbolic example can be found in airline meals.

Inside an aircraft, air pressure is lower than at ground level, which in turn lowers the boiling point of water. This means rice doesn’t cook the same way — it doesn’t reach that ideal texture.

Ordinarily, one might just accept this as unavoidable.

But Japanese airlines did not stop there.

Instead, they asked: How can we serve good rice even under these conditions?

They experimented with:

• Adjusting water levels
• Modifying cooking processes
• Designing methods tailored to cabin conditions

Through trial and error, they achieved something remarkable: rice that still tastes “right,” even at 30,000 feet.

This reflects a mindset of not merely adapting to the environment, but striving to realize an ideal within constraints.

Not Adapting to the Environment, but Bringing It Closer

Perhaps the Japanese approach is less about adapting to the environment, and more about bringing the environment closer to oneself.

This doesn’t mean rebuilding the world from scratch.

Rather, it means:

• Accepting constraints
• Working creatively within them
• Gradually optimizing over time

It is a steady, iterative process.

A Shinto Perspective: Formation and Growth

This mindset is deeply connected to Japan’s spiritual framework.

In Shinto, the world is not created from nothing. Instead, it emerges gradually from primordial chaos.

It is a worldview based not on creation, but on continuous formation and development.

This sensibility — of shaping, nurturing, and refining what already exists — seems to underpin how Japanese people act and think.

And perhaps it is precisely this trait that gave rise to the concept of kaizen — continuous improvement.

Strengths and Weaknesses

This way of thinking is both a strength and a limitation.

Strengths include:

• Optimizing within constraints
• Continuous improvement
• Responsiveness to real-world conditions

Weaknesses include:

• Creating frameworks from scratch
• Abstract, top-down design
• Radical disruption of existing assumptions

Japan may not excel at “zero to one,” but it is extraordinarily strong at “one to one hundred.”

That said, in today’s uncertain world, this ability to continue updating and refining may become increasingly important. And perhaps the best approach is to combine this strength with those who excel at creating new things from scratch — working together toward better solutions.

Preference Is Not Irrational

These “preferences” are not mere habits.

They reflect a deeply held standard of what feels right for human life.

And rather than abandoning that standard, there is a commitment to realizing it, no matter the constraints.

Even cooking rice in the sky is an extension of that commitment.

Closing Thoughts

…Having written all this, I found myself thinking something much simpler on the way home from the tasting event.

The fact that children get to eat such delicious meals at school every day — that is truly a fortunate and happy thing.

And it’s something you can really only experience during the years of compulsory education. If you want it as an adult, the only real option is to become a teacher.

That makes it all the more special.

Behind it all are the school nutritionists, solving what feels like a daily puzzle:

• Nutritional balance
• Energy requirements
• Strict salt limits (just 2 grams per meal)
• Enhancing flavor through carefully prepared broth
• Ease of cooking
• Keeping meals interesting for children
• Incorporating international and regional cuisines for cultural understanding
• Using local ingredients
• Managing costs

It’s like solving a highly constrained puzzle, every single day.

And yet, the children simply say, “This is delicious.”

It’s truly impressive — nothing short of admirable.

That’s why I look forward to the annual school lunch tasting event.

…Though, as I write this, there’s actually another tasting event tomorrow.

Naturally, I fully intended to attend again. But I was quickly told, “You can’t participate two days in a row.”

And so here I am, quietly holding back tears.