Chopsticks are becoming more familiar to people in Europe through Asian restaurants and international food culture.

This creates an opportunity to introduce another important part of Japanese food culture: rice.

Rice is versatile and can be enjoyed in many ways. It can be served with fish, meat, vegetables, and local European ingredients. Every country can develop its own rice dishes while keeping its traditional food culture alive.

Learning to use chopsticks and discovering new ways to enjoy rice can make food culture more diverse and interesting.

Europe does not need to abandon bread, pasta, or potatoes. Rice can simply become another everyday choice.

As chopsticks become more familiar, let’s make rice a more familiar part of everyday meals across Europe, too.