Japanese–Chinese Cuisine and the Empire: A Historical Study of the Chinese Pork Bun in Japan

In Japan, Chinese pork buns appeared in literature as early as the eighteenth century, however, they became widespread among ordinary people only during the imperialist era of the early twentieth century. Chinese cuisine contributed to the modernization of Japanese food and spread as a part of modern Japanese culinary culture. During the 1910s, veterinarian Tanaka Hiroshi advocated Chinese pork dishes instead of Western beef dishes to overcome the physical inferiority complex toward Westerners. During the 1920s, as exemplified by writer Tanizaki Jun’ichirō, a fascination with exotic Chinese items, including Chinese cuisine, emerged in Japan as an alternative to Western tastes. Pork buns were also served in the department store cafeterias. Sōma Aizō and Kokkō, the husband-and-wife founders of Nakamuraya who began selling pork buns in 1927, were well versed in Western culture but were devoted to Pan-Asianism, aiming to help their Asian brethren to counter the pressures from Western powers. However, the spread of Chinese cuisine was intertwined with imperialistic sentiments. Organizations and individuals associated with imperialism actively promoted Chinese cuisine, such as pork buns. They became not only representatives of Chinese cuisine but also of “Manchurian cuisine” and “continental cuisine,” which were distinguished from Chinese cuisine.