Junko Takase¡¯s ¡°Oishii Gohan ga Taberaremasu Yoni¡± is a rare work that makes good food seem rather unsavory.
The novel that won the Akutagawa Prize this July is a deceptively mundane story depicting the everyday work life of three co-workers. It seems at first like a typical Japanese work place drama, poking fun at various office stereotypes. But the book also takes to task a ¡°given¡± of urbane society (not just in Japan, although it¡¯s certainly a mainstay of Japanese pop culture): the exaltation of foodie culture and the pursuit of deliciousness. The title, which roughly translates to ¡°I wish to be able to eat delicious food,¡± suggests a story filled with loving depictions of gourmet scenes and smells ¡ª but the reality is much less appetizing. (At time of writing an English translation hasn¡¯t been announced.)
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