Readers’ Corner: What Did I Order?
When I went to Tokyo, I stopped by an “izakaya.” It was winter, so I ordered “oden.” I really wanted to eat “suji.” I ordered it, but they brought me something white. It looked like “hampen.” I thought, “Huh? What’s this? I didn’t order it.” But I ate it. I thought maybe they had made a mistake, so I ordered it again and spoke more clearly. They brought me white “hampen” again. A few days later, I learned that “suji” means different things in western Japan and eastern Japan. In western Japan, it is beef, but in eastern Japan, it is white fish or something like “hampen.” Every time I ordered “suji,” they were actually giving me the correct thing—for Tokyo. When I told this story to other people, everyone was very surprised. It was a really funny experience. (140 words) You can send me a comment or your own story at jaremaga@gmail.com