Totally stealing this line for my own use.
In terms of “preserving cultural assets” like cuisine (and in support of your point), if it’s written down then why does it really matter? Isn’t documentation preservation? The other thing that makes this fairly nonsense (at least IRT Japan) is that there is both a strong connection to historical tradition and a popular cooking/foodie culture in Japan.
And in terms of authenticity, part of the charm of going to the places that make the things you like is that you get to see how they’re really made and how they really taste. Sushi in Sydney is typically horrendous, unless it’s made by Japanese chefs. Counter-intuitively it’s not because they have some secret techniques, it’s because they use authentic Japanese ingredients instead of the slightly cheaper Chinese alternatives.
For a great demonstration of this go and purchase nori sheets that are made in Japan and also a pack from China. The Japanese ones are paper-thin and will crack with very little effort. The Chinese ones will be rubbery and thick in comparison.
