Lost in Sushi Translations

Japan has earned a special place in the hearts of culinary travelers - and the most traditional of Japanese cuisines, in its original, truncated, fused or corrupted forms, have gone global - from Oslo to Capetown, from Dubai to Auckland, from Brooklyn to Bojonegoro...

Of course, tourists flock in increasing numbers to Japan, and enjoying a traditional 'hardcore' Japanese meal is an important highlight of every visit to Japan. Kyoto remains one of the most popular travel destinations in Japan, and with the influx of tourists, traditional Kyoto restaurants have been 'internationalized'. Not quite...

Translating the bulk of dish names from traditional Kanji to English is one thing that has been taken for granted in a Japan that has never been eager to 'globalize' its own self.

Bizzare translations and misspellings are common - and one can only guess that most of these extra-terrestial translations are made by electronic Japanese-to-English pocket dictionaries, or translation websites (e.g. http://www.excite.co.jp/world/english)


"Please do not pour soy sauce directly from the bottle. Please use the brush."