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u/medievalpeasant_

▲ 244 r/AskFoodHistorians

Why didn’t Korean and Japanese cuisines develop rice noodles?

Rice noodles are a staple in the rice-heavy regions of southern China and mainland Southeast Asia—Vietnam, Thailand, and Myanmar—as well as maritime Southeast Asia, such as Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore (although it’s mostly southern Chinese immigrant dishes in those three).

Japan and Korea have also consumed rice heavily for centuries, yet neither developed a tradition of rice noodles. Some people might argue this is due to limited use of rice flour, but Korean rice cakes (tteok) are made from rice flour, showing the ingredient itself was clearly available.

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u/medievalpeasant_ — 2 days ago
▲ 64 r/JapaneseHistory

Cultural similarities between Japan and other regions

As far as I understand, the current evidence suggests Japonic-speaking populations originated in what is now southern and central Korea and gradually migrated to the Japanese archipelago over time.

What I’m curious about is what came before that. Did they move into Korea from southern China or even further south? I ask because some cultural similarities between Japan and Southeast Asian groups (Austronesian, Austroasiatic, Kra–Dai, etc.) are really fascinating to me—things like stilt architecture, tooth blackening, tattoo traditions, animistic practices, and spirit/shrine structures. According to Chinese records, both ancient groups were known for having tattoos and short hair, unlike the Han Chinese, who generally kept their hair long and uncut.

At the same time, modern Yamato Japanese seem genetically northern-shifted, so overall closer to Koreans and northern Chinese (Henan and Shandong) populations, while the Jomon are a much older layer that diverged from continental East Asians around 40,000 years ago.

So I’m wondering: how do people here think these similarities developed? Shared ancestry, cultural diffusion, parallel development, maritime networks, or something else?

u/medievalpeasant_ — 3 days ago
▲ 89 r/interesting

“Kusha Ojisan” (Mr. Wrinkle) was a Japanese entertainer who gained fame in the 1970s for his ability to distort his face.

u/medievalpeasant_ — 4 days ago