Sometimes you have to travel far to find things close to home.

In The Rise of Japanamerica (Tokyo Art Beat), Ashley Rawlings explores the American fascination and also cannibalization of Manga and Anime and other aspects of Japanese culture including its food in an interview with Roland Kelts, who frequently rides the New York-Tokyo Express or is it the other way.

Why this fascination: "This is not just an animation boom, it’s a wider interest in Japanese culture. Many Americans are now obsessed with Japanese food, in New York particularly. After the sushi craze, it’s now shifting to yakitori and shochu. So I began to wonder what it is about this Japaneseness – and it’s very hard to pin down – this idea that there are certain aesthetic characteristics of Japaneseness that have hit the Zeitgeist."
 

My most read story so far on Serge the Concierge was on New York's First Japanese Restaurant Week.

Roland Kelts book on the topic, Japanamerica will be available in paperback in November.
I picked the Japanese cover as an illustration.

I have not read 'Japanamerica' yet.

On the Culinary side, Yakitori is skewered grilled chicken, interested read details on Necessary Ingredients and Preparation via  Japan-Guide.
As for Shochu, it is a Japanese spirit that could be compared to vodka, it is distilled and low in calories from what I gathered which might explain its popularity.
Get up to speed on this beverage with Move over Sake, here's Shochu an old SF Gate piece from 2004.

Have you tried either of them? What was your take on it?

Let's wrap up this Tokyo Thursday # 8.

Related: Japan wraps its snacks in Manga and Anime
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