food by FRANÇOIS SIMON The French traveler, food critic, and author François Simon has been writing about every aspect of food for decades. His instagram account is a reference for any foodie. It’s worth pausing to reflect on our relationship with Japan. If ever there were shifting sands, these are they. Anyone who approaches Japan and attempts to describe it often ends up buried under a layer of ash and criticism. Even Roland Barthes, in his remarkable Empire of Signs (1970), drew disdain from certain specialists in Japanese culture. The brilliant Nicolas Bouvier, with his empathetic, almost dolorous lens (The Japanese Chronicles, 1967, initially titled Japan), faced similar reproach. It seems that Westerners, perhaps wisely, prefer to confine Japan within a sublime no comprendo, perpetuating misunderstandings and half-truths with tireless enthusiasm. After all, the idea of never fully grasping the “real” Japan is oddly reassuring, allowing us to…