The great grain pivot: Japan’s changing relationship with rice

YAMAGATA – Growing up in Singapore, I was told that every grain of rice left uneaten on my plate would leave a pockmark on my face. In Japan, children are taught to honour their bowls through a folk belief that “seven gods” reside in every grain. Leftovers show disrespect for the natural elements and human labour that went into the crop.

Rice has long been the cultural spine and soul of many Asian societies.