"Tokyo spoofs Paris a lot, from the Tokyo tower to its tong-and-surgical-glove bakeries."

Is there some sort of bakery cult in Tokyo? Yakitate!! Japan is an anime series about a young baker in Tokyo who aspires to make "Ja-pan," a national bread that embodies the country's values and tastes. There are 69-episodes about this so far. French culture is mentioned frequently, but it maintains a sweetly nationalistic feel.

Reverence for the culinary arts is one of the most reassuring and pleasant things for me about Tokyo. I think that at any given moment it is easier to find a cooking show on television here then any kind of sports event or drama.