Decolonizing Veganism: A Japanese Perspective

DECOLONIZING VEGANISM A JAPANESE PERSEPECTIVE

Ed. Mei Horiuchi

Comparative History of Ideas University of Washington 2017

Photos on front and back covers from National Geographic, Vol. 172, No. 1, July 1987.

Photographer Chris Johns.

Photo on page 29 retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Panda_Tea_Green_Tea.jpg#filehistory.

Photographer Lisa Amy.

TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction … 3 Writing … 9 ‘chose-kanoti’ (Allison McDonald) … 11 Untitled (Yui Fujiyama) … 13 Reflections on Identity and Activism (Mei Horiuchi) … 15 I’m Japanese and vegan. (Annie F.) … 20 Imagining Japanese Veganism Through 精進料理 (Mei Horiuchi) … 23

Recipe … 27 Veganism and Japanese Cuisine (Kioko Soneda) … 29 担々麺 (Mio) … 35 NIMONO: The Best Way to Cook Kabocha (Anna Wildman) … 36 Mocha Java Smoothie (Christina Davila) … 38 Matcha Latte (Anna Wildman) … 40

Art … 43 messy mind (Rae Rae) … 45 裏面 (Leona) … 46 World Is (Annie F.) … 47

Interview … 49 With Anna Wildman, Annie F., Christina Davila, Emiko Badillo, Misato, Rae Rae, Yukiyo, 川野陽子

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Introduction MEI HORIUCHI This collection is an attempt to visibilize and cultivate community among those who identify as both vegan and Japanese. My motivation is a personal one; I am biracial (half Japanese, half white) and vegan. As someone who’s pored over the critical animal studies canon, I’ve noticed a gap in literature dealing with the intersection of Japanese and vegan identities. In my experience, Japanese vegans are few and far between, and the negotiations we make with our culture are not often written about. This project endeavors to bring these experiences to light.

I’ve structured this collection with these questions in mind: Is tradition/culture sufficient to justify oppressive and exploitative practices? How can we use decolonizing methods to practice a veganism consistent with our cultural identities? More specifically, how can we imagine a decolonial Japanese veganism while maintaining our cultural authenticity?

The project challenges the idea that culture is immovable, static, unchanging. Culture is constantly evolving as our world, the context within which culture exists, evolves. And we can maintain our cultural authenticity even while rejecting animal exploitation and adopting veganism. It is not uncommon for POC communities to charge veganism as a “uniformly White colonial practice” (“Animal” 683). However, the work of Indigenous Mi’kmaq scholar Margaret Robinson, whose ancestors’ diets were heavily meat-based, inspires me. Robinson argues her veganism informs, rather than conflicts with, Mi’kmaq cultural identity. She asserts that veganism runs congruent “with the values of our ancestors, even if at odds with their traditional practice,” concluding: “At stake in the creation of a Native veganism is the authority of Native people…to determine cultural authenticity for ourselves” (Robinson 6). In a similar vein, Japanese folks must define a veganism for themselves that is culturally specific and relevant. Otherwise, veganism becomes yet another tool of colonization, the dreaded “uniformly White colonial practice.”

White Veganism Within the past decade, a small but growing number of critical race and animal studies scholars and social justice activists have taken issue with mainstream veganism in the U.S. – white veganism. White veganism is notorious for its single-issue approach,

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challenging systematic animal exploitation while ignoring other systems of oppression – that is, white veganism does not consider anti-racism, anti-sexism, anti-classism, antiableism, anti-homophobia, anti-transphobia, etc. within its movement. Because of this lack of consciousness, white veganism often reinforces these violent systems while hypocritically championing compassion. White veganism extends that compassion only to nonhuman animals.

As a vegan of color, I feel very fortunate to be experiencing this outburst of literature critiquing the shortcomings of white veganism. Writers, activists, and scholars of Black, Latinx, and Indigenous backgrounds challenge white veganism and offer alternatives that dually serve as decolonizing practices. By decolonizing, I draw from Luz Calvo and Catriona R. Esquibel’s definition: “the ongoing process to end oppression and servitude and to restore respect for indigenous knowledge and ways of life…Decolonization means reclaiming and honoring our histories, our stories, and our traditions as a way to fight for our common humanity.”

In 2010, Dr. Amie Breeze Harper published the anthology Sistah Vegan, containing the words of Black-identified females/females of the African Diaspora who are, “decolonizing their bodies and minds via whole-foods veganism and/or raw foodism”(Harper xix). Six years later, Calvo and Esquibel published Decolonize Your Diet, a Mexican-American vegetarian cookbook incorporating “heritage crops as a source of protection from modern diseases of development.” The rejection of the consumption of animal products acts as a reclamation of Black-identified and Mexican Americans’ traditional and cultural diets, their health, their bodies, and their intimacies with the animal from the white colonizer. After all, Black, Latinx, and Indigenous folks’ relationships with their cultures, bodies, and animals have all been ruptured and damaged by the colonizer. What is lacking, however, is an attempt to decolonize white veganism through a Japanese lens. It is important to note that while Japan is historically an imperial power and colonizer itself, the West has no doubt culturally colonized the nation in contemporary times.

And so, this collection adds to efforts led by POC to decolonize veganism from its whiteness. Though veganism is a moral imperative, we cannot universally demand the world “Go vegan,” as white veganism often preaches – to do so minimizes and trivializes the pain involved in taking on that lifestyle change, the conflicts that can arise within our families and cultural identities. As Karen S. Emmerman points out: When we contextualize human interests properly, when we accurately describe what is at stake for people being asked to make significant changes to their

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lifestyles and relationships in order to meet moral obligations to animals, we are better equipped to understand worries about the overdemandingness of those obligations. Moreover, we are better equipped to aid people in moving past the pain involved in taking on that demandingness (7).

This collection considers how contributors negotiate their Japanese identity with their veganism, including the potential losses involved in inhabiting this identity crossroads.

How do they weigh the interests of themselves, the animal, the planet, their families, and their culture, in their decision to adopt veganism?

Why Veganism? Why a Decolonial Framework?

I take inspiration from Black vegan feminist theorists Aph and Syl Ko to ground my work, who argue that decolonizing veganism is fundamental to broader social justice work. As Syl Ko asserts in her piece “Addressing Racism Requires Addressing the Situation of Animals,” “The human-animal divide is the ideological bedrock underlying the framework of white supremacy. The negative notion of ‘the animal’ is the anchor of this system. As long as these notions of ‘the animal’ and ‘the human’ are intact, white supremacy remains intact.” Our anti-racist work must challenge speciesism just as our anti-speciesist work must challenge racism – the two are inextricably linked, given the animalization (synonymous with degradation under the dominant framework) of certain groups of humans at the hands of white supremacy. Throughout history and into contemporary times, the oppression and exploitation of marginalized groups have been justified by their socially constructed animality – Black folks, women, immigrants, and folks with disabilities have been and continue to be relegated to subhuman status.

Japanese and Japanese-Americans have not escaped this animalization, as occurred before and during World War II. Restrictive pre-war US immigration laws targeting Japanese, coupled with wartime rhetoric that barbarized Japanese, encouraged an atmosphere that permitted the imprisonment of Japanese-Americans in concentration camps on the U.S. West Coast during the war.

The idea that animality justifies exploitation and degradation must be confronted. A decolonizing approach to veganism is fundamental to liberating the nonhuman and human animal, for it disrupts the human-subhuman-animal hierarchy.

Curating a Collection Through including those outside the “scholarly conversation” in this collaborative project, I hope to challenge the insularity of academia’s ivory tower. There will be

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forays into a wide range of disciplines and mediums; recipes, stories, and visual art are contained within these pages. In order to avoid the prescription of a single, monolithic “correct” representation of Japanese veganism, I reached out to my Japanese and Japanese American vegan community to contribute in whatever form(s) they prefer.

Within a culture, there are values and practices co-existing, even conflicting, with each other; this does not diminish their cultural authenticity, but rather weaves a cultural identity that is multifaceted, fluid, and vibrant. I believe a multi-authored collection is the optimal medium to celebrate these complexities.

Navigating veganism within Japanese culture does not look the same for everyone, especially as our relationship to our Japanese identity differs; of the 13 contributors, about half live in the U.S. and half live in Japan. Some claim full Japanese heritage by blood, others identify as biracial, or multiracial. The contributors may at times be at odds with one another, and I do not personally support every idea expressed in these pages. But these differences neither invalidate our Japanese identities, nor our ideas surrounding veganism. Instead, they enrich the definition of Japanese veganism, allowing for various manifestations shaped by our individual experiences.

Thank You To My… Contributors: Allison McDonald, Anna Wildman, Annie F., Christina Davila, Emiko Badillo, Kioko Soneda, Leona, Mio, Misato, Rae Rae, Yui Fujiyama, Yukiyo, 川野陽子 Mentors: Annie Dwyer, Cynthia Anderson, Karen S. Emmerman, Katie Gillespie, María Elena García, Radhika Govindrajan Supporters: my partner, family, friends Work Cited Calvo, Luz and Catriona R. Esquibel. Decolonize Your Diet. Web. 26 April 2017. Food Empowerment Project. Web. 30 April 2017.

Emmerman, Karen S. “What’s Love Got to Do with It? Partiality, Human Interests, and Interanimal Conflicts.” Sex, Gender, Species Conference, Wesleyan Animal Studies and The

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Center for the Study of Public Life, 25 February 2011, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CN. Presentation.

Harper, A. Breeze. “Introduction.”Sistah Vegan, edited by A. Breeze Harper. Lantern Books, 2010, p. xiii-xix. Print.

Ko, Syl. “Addressing Racism Requires Addressing the Situation of Animals.” Aphro-ism.

October 2015. Web. January 2016.

Robinson, Margaret. "Veganism and Mi'kmaq Legends." Canadian Journal of Native Studies 33.1 (2013): 189-96. Web. 30 April 2017.

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WRITING

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‘chose-kanoti’ ALLISON MCDONALD As a child, my comfort food was ‘chose-kanoti’. At least that’s what my family called it. Me and my brother loved to rhyme the Star Wars character Obi-Wan Kenobi with our family delicacy of savory green tea soup packets poured over rice. I’d learn in my twenties that this term rose out of my family’s inability to read Japanese. We relied on what we heard rather than what we read. The proper word, ‘Ochazuke’, formed over the years into our beloved ‘chose-kanoti’. We’d pick the packets off the Asian grocery store shelves, looking for the familiar red, yellow, green, and black horizontal stripes with kanji writing through the center.

My mother, a second generation Japanese woman, was raised by two parents who endured World War II; her father as a Japanese internment camp prisoner and her mother as a Hiroshima bomb survivor. Scarred by their experiences of simply existing as a Japanese person, they didn’t want to give the world any reason to select my mother from a crowd. They wanted her to blend in with her white American peers. She wasn't taught my grandparents’ first language, her mannerisms were markedly standard American, her suburban home in Salt Lake City, Utah, just hours outside of Topaz, the internment camp set up to contain people like her, was just like anyone else’s. And yet, she’d come home to after school snacks of red bean mochi and a plate of msg-sprinkled and umeboshi-filled onigiri. Food was my moms few connections to her Japanese heritage.

Fast forward, and my mother is ghfjjmarried to my father, an endlessly sweet and loving man who has never deviated from his mother’s chicken noodle soups and casseroles and bread puddings. He tries Chinese food for the first time in his life with her. He eats sushi with her family, the only white guy in a 50-mile radius using chopsticks. Raising their children, they decided, would be filled with the choices they’d only had access to later in life. My grandmother was always sick and many churches sought to bring her into their folds. My mother was raised Jehovah’s Witness for a decade, among many other religions throughout her childhood. My father was raised Mormon and left the church the day he turned 18. Both born in restrictive religions, they wanted me and my brother to decide what made sense to us. Although they felt strongly about religious freedom, they hadn’t thought much on the politics of raising mixed race children.

Interracial marriage was legalized in the US the year my father was born – they didn’t have much of a template to work off of. And so we mostly did what my white neighbors did and we talked and dressed and learned like they did. And so while kids

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made fun of my eyes, asked me if I could even see out of them, made “ching chong” noises and dismissed any weird nuances in my behavior with, “It’s probably cause you’re Asian,” my packed lunch still looked like theirs. However at home, I’d relish in the comforts of ‘chose-kanoti’ and Disney Channel. As a third generation kid, I wanted to be just like everyone else. I felt normal, yet people told me I wasn’t. As I grew older, I found myself seeking out Japanese culture. I’d watch anime and I’d end up taking multiple courses in college on Japanese performance arts, literature, history, and the internment camps. I began to embrace my differences and I sought out a Japanese identity that my mother wasn’t allowed to embrace.

Today, I make sense of this confusing and messy relationship I have with my Japanese identity through veganism. Veganism allows me to express my own values.

The basis for ‘chose-kanoti’, as well as most Japanese foods, are vegan; rice, nori, soy, green tea, and vegetables. Although vegan Japanese food is not the authentic versions that include chickens, pigs, and cows, they are real at their core. I embrace that ‘chosekanoti’ is not authentic in the most literal sense, yet to me it the authentic experience of a third generation, mixed Japanese woman committed to animal rights, racial justice, and gender equality in whatever sense that may be. When I cook Japanese vegan foods, I am tied to my grandpa Roy, my grandma Sachiko, my mother Carrie, and my own path that I carve with their values and mine, intertwined.

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Untitled YUI FUJIYAMA I’m known mostly for my vegan ‘activism,’ but I’m very conscious of the fact that my activism, or more so in this case my ‘existence,’ questions and/or redefines what it means to be Japanese. I’m a vegetarian/vegan of six and a half years, and more than five of that has been in Tokyo. Living in, and for the past several years actually working in, the industry/community, I would say I have a pretty clear depiction of veganism in Japan. The concept of veganism is growing in Japan, especially with the increasing number of tourists and the upcoming Olympics in 2020, but it’s most definitely a commercialised health and beauty trend targeted towards women and associated with weight-loss and diet. The thing with ‘activism’ for me is, I hate that word. To list what I do: I organise meet-ups and popups and share information through Instagram, I am taking a large role in running a vegan festival in Tokyo, I work at a vegan fast food joint in Shinjuku, and I promote products for a company that imports organic and vegetarian products. If that is activism, sure, I am an activist, but I do not embrace the societal concept of “activism.” I used to be proud being a vegan, but I’m beginning to detest the label of ‘veganism’ and phrases like ‘go vegan!' because I realise now all of the rules (made by vegans, ironically) and the associations that come with it. I know ‘vegans' who literally refuse to talk to 'non-vegans' and other vegans who are oblivious of their sexism (another topic I’m passionate about) or negativity. I hate it when people respect me for the mere reason of being a vegan, or worse, when people hesitate to talk to me (about veganism) because they are not vegan. Like what! I respect and am inspired by anyone that is willing to learn and grow, because that’s something I always aspire to do in all aspects of life. More than anything my activism is to promote 'authenticity,' and because I just so happen to be in the vegan community, I am starting there. My personal process to veganism involves an experience with an eating disorder and mental illness, so obviously I do not want to 'lure' people or push it as some sort of diet, nor do I want to ‘push’ it onto anyone in the first place. I think that every person has their own timings and I have no right nor wish to make that decision for someone.

Moreover considering that, being outspoken is not seen as a virtue in Japanese culture, the most tangible/effective way that I believe to convey or promote an idea in the first place is to live as an example- in this case, to live ‘happily’ and attract people in the way.

Obviously, people take in information differently so the outspoken way can reach lots of people (it reached me), but for myself, the difference in impact is massive to when I was trying to 'promote' veganism (whilst struggling through my own problems) to when I am doing it for pure self-fulfillment. Within the last year (since finding peace within myself) my parents, brother, and many friends from school and from social media have largely not

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only changed their views on eating and lifestyle but have changed their actions, compared to when I was desperately trying to tell them to 'go vegan.' When I ask what the biggest struggle about veganism in Japan is to Japanese people, the most common response I get is "the social aspect." It is hard for Japanese to be vegan or completely commit to veganism because in a social situation they fear the judgment they will receive from others- the 'collectivism' and 'can't be different from others' culture is apparently deeply embedded into Japanese nature, more than I could ever have imagined. This is just another reason to promote authenticity- I want people to be okay and confident with being themselves and not fear being judged by others. Regarding my identity as a Japanese, I’m Japanese because I’m full-blooded Japanese, I was born here and am a citizen, I speak and write the language fluently, I live and work here. Many people in Japan will not see me as purely Japanese because I did not spend 11.5 of my 22 years in the country. The years I spent abroad (4 to 15) are vital years in forming my identity, so I understand where the idea comes from. In fact, I do admit that culturally, a large part of me is Western, so under a conservative definition of Japanese, I probably do not identify as Japanese. Even in explaining Japanese veganism above, I am extracting or distinguishing myself from Japanese and describing from an outside perspective. However do I identify as American or Canadian? No, especially considering I grew up in a Japanese home with Japanese values, with parents that do not speak English - this is why I did not feel a sense of belonging in school growing up. At this point it really does not matter to me to feel a sense of belonging to a certain country because I will not fit in anywhere.

Nonetheless, it is cool to discuss this idea of identity with people, especially Japanese people, in order to challenge and redefine ‘Japaneseness.’ Why I choose to stay in Japan, is, because I feel more purpose (even responsibility?) here. As for vegan activism specifically, because I understand Japanese and Western behaviours, and simply because information is more accessible to me with the language skills I have, my role in the Japanese vegan community is to connect the two cultures. I do not think that veganism is a ‘white-thing’ but because veganism is more developed or available in the West, it is inevitable for it to seem that way. But an interesting aspect of Japan is that with anything, they seem to take in ideas from outside and innovate or make it their own anyways. As for myself, outside of the almost 'responsibility' I feel, it is very fun to do what I do because with veganism being so unknown here, I can innovate my own styles and concepts.

Whether I like the way it is being done, it’s also just fun to be in the community and see it actually growing (and feel a sense of belonging in that way too).

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Reflections on Identity and Activism MEI HORIUCHI Prior to adopting veganism in the summer of 2015, I identified as a pescetarian for five or so years. After watching a graphic documentary unmasking the violence and cruelty undergirding the animal agriculture industry, I lost my appetite for animal flesh; I’d always felt a strong affinity to animals, and I did not want to partake in their systematic and brutal exploitation. My ultimate goal was always veganism. But while I avoided the bodies of cows, pigs, and chickens, I continued consuming the flesh of fish. (And I failed to think critically about the evils of the dairy and egg industries. The violence behind these “meat”-less animal products was less obvious to me.) Against my moral sense, I knowingly participated in the abuse of sea creatures for several years. This was due in part to the fact I was still living with my parents at the time and depended on them to cook most meals for me. My mother was kind enough to always fix me a pescetarian-friendly variation of whatever dish she prepared the rest of my family; I knew going full-out vegan would only cause her more strain. Admittedly, I didn’t possess the resolve to cook for myself. But I also resignedly excused my ethical lapse by tying my consumption of sea animals to my Japanese heritage, where our diet relies heavily on sea-“food.” (I am biracial: half Japanese, half white.) Though I don’t find this to be a sound excuse in retrospect, I acknowledge that how and what we eat ties us to our families, histories, and cultures. Our identities. But I’ve learned that my rejection of animal exploitation does not compromise my Japanese-ness.

Before I entered university in 2014, I neither identified as vegan, nor identified strongly with my Japanese side. Three years later, I am exploring this very intersection of identity through this collection. But I still scrutinize how and why I identify as Japanese.

After all, I was raised in the U.S., am white passing (appear to be fully white), and possess limited Japanese language proficiency. In the face of these daunting questions about racial identity, I find comfort and inspiration in the writings of Cherríe Moraga, a mixed race Chicana writer. In La Güera (1981), Moraga writes: I have had to look critically at my claim to color, at a time when, among white feminist ranks, it is a "politically correct" (and sometimes peripherally advantageous) assertion to make. I must acknowledge the fact that, physically, I have had a choice about making that claim, in contrast to women who have not had such a choice, and have been abused for their color. I must reckon with the

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fact that for most of my life, by virtue of the very fact that I am white-looking, I identified with and aspired toward white values…

I think: what is my responsibility to my roots-both white and brown, Spanishspeaking and English? I am a woman with a foot in both worlds; and I refuse the split. I feel the necessity for dialogue. Sometimes I feel it urgently.

While I acknowledge my white privilege, I, too, I refuse the split – the split of not only being Japanese and white, but also Japanese and vegan. During my undergraduate experience, I grew into my Japanese and vegan identities, both previously unexplored facets of my identity which have become absolutely integral to who I am today: a Japanese vegan.

The winter of my freshman year (2014), my mother, brother, and I visited my grandparents in Zushi. I was born in Zushi, a suburb nearby Tokyo, but my immediate family moved to the Seattle area before I turned one year old. I hadn’t been been back to Japan since eighth grade. I’d like to believe I matured significantly during that fouryear gap between trips, and seeing Japan through this new lens felt like a novel experience. I was enthralled. I yearned to be able to communicate with my maternal grandparents – my おばあちゃん (Obāchan) and おじいちゃん (Ojīchan) – and learn about a side of my heritage that I’d never felt too connected with. And so, after this trip, I returned to the University of Washington (UW) determined to reuptake my Japanese studies; three years in high school had left me with limited elementary proficiency. Motivated to tap into a part of my cultural background that felt muted, I enrolled for a UW Japanese language course in the spring and began toying with the idea of studying abroad in Tokyo.

Around the same time, I began seriously considering veganism for the first time. I discovered the UW student group Campus Animal Rights Educators (CARE) at an oncampus Cowspiracy screening that spring. I can distinctly remember the first CARE meeting I attended. I was in a room with four or five CARE members; through listening to their casual conversation, I quickly caught on that everyone else was vegan. I felt ashamed for not sharing their same commitment to animals – though this guilt was not brought upon by them, but rather self-inflicted. Being in a room full of vegans forced me to acknowledge that my pescetarianism fell short of my ethical beliefs. However, it’s important to remember that veganism is no perfect, cure-all either. Ethical consumerism does not exist. For me personally, I felt that veganism was a step in the right direction, towards more compassionate living. By summer I eliminated fish, shellfish, eggs, and dairy from my diet. I dived headfirst into campus activism with an

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abundance of optimism and energy; the following year I was president of CARE and extremely involved in the UW social justice community. Organizing events, attending rallies/marches, collaborating with other on- and off- campus activist groups…My social network became primarily other student activists – many of whom were vegan. The bubble was very comfortable, very safe. A very effectual echo chamber.

But I left my beloved bubble at the beginning of junior year. With a second year of studying Japanese under my belt, I left to study a semester at Tokyo’s Waseda University in fall 2016.

At first, it was the honeymoon period. I fell in love with Tokyo. I was able to spend an unprecedented amount of time (since moving to Seattle) with my おばあちゃん and お じいちゃん. I stayed the weekend with them at least once per month. My おばあちゃん would cook me the most delicious vegan meals (pictures below); I know this placed a great burden on her, and I’m grateful for her efforts to understand and accommodate my veganism. Being able to spend time with my grandparents and communicate with them using my broken Japanese was incredibly rewarding and special, and I’ll cherish those memories forever. I felt (proud to be) Japanese.

But the culture shock did get to me, as my American-ness could not be denied.

Moving from Seattle, one of the most vegan-friendly cities in the world, to Tokyo, where most folks have never heard the word “vegan” proved challenging. My diet certainly suffered, as I’m no passionate cook. I stuck to a blasé routine of granola, soy えだまめ

yogurt, and おにぎり (Onigiri) and 枝豆 (Edamame) from the コンビニ (Konbini) most

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days. There are a surprising amount of vegan restaurants scattered around Tokyo, but they are spread out and rather pricey. I didn't feel comfortable going to non-vegan Japanese restaurants where my veganism would surely be an imposition and create discomfort for my friends, restaurant staff, and myself. This made it tough to make nonvegan friends, shrinking my potential circle of friends drastically.

Hoping to make up for these social difficulties through meeting and learning from Japanese vegans, I used Instagram to connect with other vegans around me. Despite the language barrier, our shared passion for veganism in a society where it’s only beginning to gain recognition built a foundation for strong friendships. Many of the folks I met in Tokyo (and during a side trip to Okinawa) are included in this collection – Annie F., Christina Davila, Mio, Misato, Yui Fujiyama, Yukiyo, 川野陽子...I’m incredibly grateful for the company and courage of these individuals.

Being removed from my Seattle activist community was extremely jarring, but my study abroad experience exposed me to how vegan activism manifests differently across cultural lines. In Seattle, veganism is incredibly normalized. Tokyo, not so much. And I feel the pressure to conform is stronger in Tokyo than in Seattle; the social implications of avoiding animal products and so publicly brandishing one’s ethical beliefs carry greater weight there.

In response to veganism’s relative obscurity, activism in Japan seems much more grounded in interpersonal support and the building of intimate relationships in Japan.

Many of my Japanese friends transitioned to veganism independently, going years without meeting another vegan. Activism there combats that alienation. The emphasis on developing meaningful relationships was refreshing; I realized that many of my friendships back home were more akin to work relationships that revolved around “doing” activism. My Japanese friends seemed to prioritize their personal and interpersonal happiness, living by example over abrasively preaching their lifestyle to others. I’m sure this doesn’t describe all Japanese vegans, but certainly the facet that I was lucky enough to spend time with.

Being forced out of my comfort zone provided the opportunity to not only to learn about Japanese activism, but also to self-critique my own activism. The safety of an ideological echo chamber can be dangerous. My transplant outside my U.S.-SeattleUW bubble granted me space to evaluate my actions and myself with greater objectivity. I reflected on my activist involvement in Seattle, only to realize I didn’t feel good about it. Similar to when I opened my eyes to the ethical insufficiency of my

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pescetarianism after I entered university, I opened my eyes to the incongruity of my activism after disengaging once I was in Japan.

My activism felt…self-indulgent. I felt that I was more concerned with performing activism, performing social justice, performing veganism, rather than just authentically being and becoming. I religiously shared my activist exploits on social media. I enveloped my activism in academic jargon that earned me “likes” from fellow collegeeducated activists. It felt cheap. Inauthentic. Elitist. My activism felt more about crafting and reinforcing my identity as a “good,” “valuable,” and college-educated social justice activist to my network of friends rather than really helping the marginalized. I had become so tied up in the performativity of activism that I forgot those who I claimed to be helping – whether the targets of racism, sexism, classism, ableism, speciesism, homophobia, transphobia, and/or any other form of systematic oppression.

I returned to Seattle from Japan in February 2017. While happy to return to a place where veganism is much more accessible and normalized, my feelings of alienation have followed me home. Culturally, I experienced isolation in Tokyo. But my reflections on activism have deterred me from re-entering the Seattle academic and activist communities that I was so invested in beforehand. My disillusion with the elitism of academia spurred me to hasten my graduation by a year. And I don’t want to resume inauthentically performing activism and identity, so I’ve disengaged, drifting away from many of my friends. But I’m still vegan. And I’m still half Japanese. Though uncertainty and malaise currently cloud my mind, I find comfort in knowing that at least these two aspects of my identity are unfaltering.

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I’m Japanese and vegan.

Translation Editor: Mei Horiuchi Neither Japanese people (except Japanese vegans) nor foreigners truly understand what it means to be both at the same time - to be one of the people whose culture revolves around harmony and reading between the lines, and to live a lifestyle which often makes me stand out. I couldn’t help questioning my own identity - where do I belong? Even before I became vegan at the age of 18, I wasn’t a usual child. I was difficult, doubting every single person’s feelings towards me including my family and closest friends. I was never bullied or abused, but I felt so isolated I was suicidal. Being introduced to the art of self-expression saved me - literature, music, piercings and tattoos. It looked like I had found my peace.

No. I found out about animal testing for cosmetics when I was 15 or 16 and instantly became opposed to animal testing, and I stopped eating meat. I didn’t even educate myself about meat industry, I just realized eating meat is eating animals who do not want nor need to be eaten.

I was horrified. I peeked at one side of the world that was so horrible it was hidden. Why didn’t I go vegan all at once, then? First reason was a lack of self-education, but the bigger factor was: I didn’t dare. My mother was also horrified, but at my refusal to eat meat. My friends found it weird I didn’t accept food that contained meat. I knew deep down that something horrendous was behind these animal products, but I didn’t go further at the time. Especially in schools in Japan, it is discouraged from crossing the line - there, it’s far more important not to offend people rather than to be yourself. I was weak and selfish, so I kept avoiding opportunities to learn about something even more horrifying, certainly horrifying enough to change me and my lifestyle. Then I graduated from high school. During the vacation after graduation, I was enjoying all the social networking sites that were pretty new at that time. The word “vegan” popped up in my mind - I only knew that vegans solely eat plant-based food - and I wondered, are there any real vegans in Japan? Like real people living without any animal-derived food?

What kind of people are they? I found one vegan on Twitter, and I also found an article about the egg industry that she shared. I couldn’t overlook the horror I had been avoiding anymore; the truth that needed to be seen. The harshness of that truth easily surpassed my suffering of standing out in my community. I knew I would have to undergo a hard time to be accepted as a vegan in my family, but the shock from realizing the reality of the animal agriculture industry, and of myself having been participating in such violence against animals - it was something that forced me to see the ugliest side of the world.

I was living with my family at the time of my transition, so my parents naturally found out I stopped eating some stuff and asked me what was going on. I replied I didn’t want animal products, and wanted to be vegan soon. My parents resisted as if veganism was a completely foreign, unhealthy idea, as if it was only a phase of being young. I tried telling them things that usually made veganism attractive - vegan celebrities and health benefits - only to have them think more strongly that they needed to “save me from the unwholesome idea.” Home was no longer a safe place. My mother even thought I became mentally ill due to exposure to all these “fake,” graphic stories about the animal agriculture industry, but it was really my parents rejecting me and the idea. Being vegan made so much sense - and I was young enough to hope it eventually would for everyone else.

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I was always a difficult child, but I never fundamentally opposed my parents. That time, I kept resisting them. I loved body modifications and being a weirdo in my community, but I always followed the rules when they were there. That time, I kept my veganism rigid. It took my parents two years to realize it wasn’t a teenage phase; they had to accept that it was not something they could change, but it was me being me. I was deeply hurt, isolated and depressed, but my feelings did not matter as much as the suffering of animals. I was stung by the rejection, but I was so determined not to give up myself.

On the other hand, I made new friends on the Internet who were vegan and supported me.

I was lucky enough to live near Tokyo, and I found out there were plenty of vegan restaurants in Tokyo. Some people who used to be close to me faded away. I never argued with them when they reacted negatively, but perhaps they were shaken by my tenacity to remain vegan and uncomfortable witnessing me avoiding animal products. Japanese people are not used to difference - especially the differences that question their fundamental beliefs, however slightly.

They pretend they are willing to listen, they pretend they don’t refuse...they are just avoiding troubles. They don’t want to be offensive, offend me, look stupid, or even have opinion. Well, I myself don’t enjoy talking things out. I prefer keeping things to myself, with the exception of this one matter: veganism. I was depressed by the fact that the Japanese culture itself denies the necessity of understanding gained through conversation, understanding of something this important. I reached to the conclusion that, besides Japanese vegan friends, westerners seemed like they could understand me from a different angle than Japanese folks because I resonated with certain parts of their way of thinking. I studied in the United States from 2014-2015 and befriended some non-Japanese people, vegans and non-vegans. I eventually even met my future British vegan boyfriend during my travels in Europe.

However, all the interactions and experiences outside Japan assured how culturally Japanese I am. I was not a typical Japanese girl in that I’ve dyed my hair red and got multiple piercings when I entered uni; consequently people in Japan treated me as if I was not Japanese enough, and yet I couldn’t be a foreigner either. I smile on many occasions, I don’t like arguing, I’m shy like a ghost, and I can eat my silken tofu raw. I was confused. I felt so isolated in Japan, but then I feel just as different outside Japan except in a different way.

What am I? Veganism isolated me, identified me, then confused me.

My boyfriend unknowingly helped me find the answer. He was the first person in my life who I came out in person as bisexual (when we were friends); he casually replied “Oh I see, your sexuality is bisexual. Thanks for opening up to tell me that.” No ohs, wows or but-is-it-reals. We got to know each other more and more as we got close, and he always saw me as a person that is vegan, Japanese, bisexual, tall and weird all combined. And he loved me. This, is one of my defining experiences and I learned: Identity didn’t have to rely on one factor of me. It’s just me.

Veganism is universal. But veganism still is a minority movement, and Japan has survived by following and attracting powerful western countries after World War Two. It is scary for many Japanese people to turn their back to something that looks bigger than themselves, such as tradition, the public, social norms, and “common sense” because they rarely have done so or have seen people who have done so. But I’m one such example who has achieved identity through embracing veganism. And I am still Japanese.

I believe in both animal rights and the power of smiles (though no one should feel forced to smile, of course!). You know what, it works. I don’t have to be a white person to have

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multiple piercings, love tattoos, believe in fairness regardless of species, and desire to be appreciated as who I am. I don’t have to accept everything about Japan to be Japanese. I can remain shy, smiley, become occasionally passive-aggressive (just like every Japanese person is, we’re pro at being PA), unintentionally bow at everyone, work hard and hate working, have body modifications, barely wear makeup yet love waxing my body hair, be bisexual and rarely be seriously attracted to people, and be in love with a non-white foreign straight man (we are still in a relationship!) I just need to be me.

Japanese and vegan - it’s hard. But hey, tofu is Japanese.

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Imagining Japanese Veganism Through 精進料理 MEI HORIUCHI しょうじんりょうり

Shōjin ryōri (精進料理) literally translates to “devotion cuisine,” with Shōjin meaning, “zeal in progressing along the path to salvation.“ Introduced to Japan in the sixth century by Chinese Zen Buddhists, Shōjin ryōri is founded upon the first of the five ふせっしょうかい

Buddhist precepts: 不殺生戒 (Fusesshōkai) – “thou shalt not kill” (Horan 26).

Consequently, Shōjin ryōri omits animal flesh from its dishes. And because eggs and dairy were rare in Japanese cooking prior to the 20th century, Shōjin ryōri developed as a completely vegan cuisine (Kato).

As Buddhism permeated Japan’s cultural and religious landscape, syncretism occurred しんとう

between it and Shintō (神道), Japan’s indigenous religion. The Zen principles of nonviolence brought over from China proved complementary to Shintō, which places け が れ

meat consumption in the category of ritual impurity – 汚れ (Kegare) – likely due its association with death and bloodshed. However, whilst Buddhism’s Fusesshōkai prohibits the slaughter all living creatures, Shintō adopts a more lax attitude towards marine mammals – fish and shellfish are worthy of votive offerings as well as consumption. This isn’t too surprising, considering Japan’s lasting association with seafood. And yet, the scarcity of fowl, cows, and pigs in early Japan shaped a traditional diet relatively lacking in animal products (Ishege 57).

It is important to note that historically, only the most devout Buddhists consumed Shōjin ryōri as part of their rigorous mental and physical lifestyle. Nourishing their bodies with simple but meticulously prepared food is part of their path towards enlightenment.

The preparation of Shōjin ryōri is just as crucial as its consumption. There are a couple basic rules for each meal: § Five methods of cooking: deep-fried, grilled, steamed, boiled, raw § Five essential colors: red, yellow, green, black/purple, white § Six flavors: bitter, sour, sweet, hot (think ginger, wasabi…), salty, delicate/mild – あ わ い

淡い(Awai) (Riccardi 64) Shōjin ryōri makes use of seasonal and local produce, both from the land and the sea. だ

し

Two types of stock – 出汁 (Dashi) – make up the most basic flavors of a Shōjin ryōri

DECOLONIZING VEGANISM • WRITING 24 う

ま

み

meal and add savory flavor – うま味 (Umami). They are often derived from dried こ ん ぶ

shiitake mushrooms and giant kelp – 昆布(Konbu) (Lapointe). Because Shōjin ryōri emphasizes natural flavors, strong spices and seasonings are avoided, as are garlic and onions. And in the absence of protein-rich animal products, Shōjin ryōri relies upon plant-based protein – soy. Think tofu, yuba…

In tune with Zen Buddhism’s call to austerity, nothing is wasted in Shōjin ryōri’s preparation. Every part of the vegetable finds a use, and byproducts are mixed with leftover rice to make porridge. There are no dipping sauces, eliminating the possibility of leftover liquid (Sotetsu). In the words of Zen Buddhist priest Fujii Sotetsu, “Buddhism prescribes partaking of a simple diet every day and abstaining from drinking alcohol or eating meat. Such a lifestyle, together with physical training, clears the mind of confusion and leads to understanding.”

A cuisine traditionally reserved for the most modest and ascetic has now entered the Japanese cultural mainstream; and with its popularity, in an ironic twist, Shōjin ryōri has become expensive and inaccessible. In Japan, a meal at a Shōjin ryōri restaurant or a temple can cost you ¥3000 to over ¥10000 (~$30 to over $100). During my time studying in Tokyo in fall 2016, I was fortunate enough to dine at a couple Shōjin ryōri restaurants. And I sensed a detachment from the ethics of the cuisine’s Zen Buddhist founders, with the Shōjin ryōri restaurants’ clientele appearing more attracted to Shōjin ryōri’s faddism, rather than its Zen Buddhist underpinnings.

Fusesshōkai rarely extends beyond the restaurant – that is, customers seldom adhere to the principle of nonviolence and/or a vegan lifestyle outside their Shōjin ryōri lunch or dinner. These diners starkly contrast with Shōjin ryōri’s original followers: Zen Buddhist priests whose devout lifestyles dictated their vegan meals – for each and every meal. I also noticed that women dramatically outnumbered men in the Shōjin ryōri restaurants I ate at. I suspect this imbalance has to do with Shōjin ryōri’s – and veganism’s, more broadly speaking – contemporary association with beauty and health in Japan. Vegan and plant-based diets around the world are feminized due to what seems to be a near-universal association of meat with masculinity. And this pattern seems to materialize in Japanese society as well, where women experience intense pressure to achieve Japanese beauty ideals – thin and petite, with clear skin and a こ が お

small face – 小顔 (Kogao). My impression, both from observational experience and conversations with vegan Japanese friends, is that veganism and plant-based diets are marketed to Japanese women as a way to attain beauty and health. This explains both the gender disparity in Shōjin ryōri restaurants, as well as the perceived disconnect from the cuisine’s ethical foundations in Zen Buddhism.

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Despite its newfound niche within Japan’s economically elite, I find a lot of beauty at Shōjin ryōri’s core. Its simplicity and celebration of local vegetables. Its grounding in Fusesshōkai and austerity. And even if it has become a fad in contemporary Japan, Shōjin ryōri serves as a rare point of contact between Japanese people and an ethically driven, plant-based diet. And unlike “veganism,” Shōjin ryōri is borne from the syncretism of Zen Buddhism and Shintō centuries ago – its origins are in Japan, not the West.

Oftentimes, veganism is associated with whiteness. But Shōjin ryōri existed long before the invention of the word “vegan” in 1944 by a white British man. There are iterations of veganism that have existed prior to the coining of “vegan” that go overlooked; they carry different names, are driven by different values, but they exist and they are valid.

Through researching these expressions of veganism across different cultural spaces and time, we decolonize veganism from its whiteness. However, I don’t intend to essentialize Japan to its traditional spiritual beliefs. Shōjin ryōri is neither the only nor the correct way to think about Japanese veganism. It is rather one of a myriad of ways Japanese veganism can materialize.

Works Cited Horan, Kelly. "Vegetables Are Genius: A Zen Chef Cooks toward Enlightenment." Gastronomica 6.4 (2006): 26-31.

Ishige, Naomichi. The History and Culture of Japanese Food. Kegan Paul Limited, 2001.

Kato, Hiroko. “Kyoto: The Capital of Zen Vegetarian Cuisine.” Vegetarian Resource Group, 2001. Web. 26 April 2017.

Lapointe, Rick. “Reflections on Buddhist Soul Food.” Japantimes.co.jp. The Japan Times, 21 September 2001. Web. 2 August 2017.

Riccardi, Victoria Abbott. “The Zen of Eating.” Natural Health Magazine 31.7 (2001): 62-65.

Sotetsu, Fujii. “Culinary Fundamentals: Shojin Ryori.” Shabkar.org. Shabkar.org, n.d. Web. 26 July 2017.

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RECIPE

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Veganism and Japanese Cuisine ─ Kioko Soneda

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Overview Japanese cuisine may seem laden with fish and poultry, but the cuisine traditionally include small amounts of meat and little to no dairy or other animal by-products making it incredibly easy to adapt to a vegan lifestyle. While the concept of veganism may not yet be celebrate within the Japanese culture, it is quite possible to maintain both a vegan lifestyle and Japanese heritage.

Cooking Vegan in Japanese Culture There are various traditional Japanese recipes that need little to no modifications to become vegan, as well as some modern twists on traditional ideas that are nutritious, colorful, and satisfying.

Edamame Edamame, or soybeans, are delicious green pea-like vegetables. They are the only vegetable to contain all nine essential amino acids, making them an excellent contribution to a vegan lifestyle.

They come in pods and are delicious steamed with a touch of salt.

To prepare edamame, you will need: ● Fresh or frozen edamame in the pods ● Salt to taste Directions: ● Boil a pot of water with heavily salted water. ● Once boiling, place edamame in the water, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until tender and bright green. ● Drain the edamame, salt to taste, and serve.

Ponzu Sauce Ponzu sauce is served with many fried dishes in Japanese culture.

Ingredients: ● Soy sauce ● Rice vinegar Direction: ● Simply mix about 2 parts soy sauce to 1 part rice vinegar and serve.

Vegetable Tempura Tempura is not traditionally vegan, but can be easily adapted with the use of vegan egg replacer.

Ingredients: ● 1 cup flour ● 1 cup cold water ● 4 prepared “eggs” with powdered vegan egg replacer ● ½ teaspoon salt

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● ●

1 cup canola oil (or enough to fry in about a ½ inch of oil in your pan) Vegetables of your choice (sweet potatoes, onion, zucchini, peas, mushroom, carrot, green beans, etc…) ● Ponzu sauce Directions: ● To prepare tempura batter, whisk together the flour, cold water, vegan “eggs,” and salt. ● Pour oil into skillet and heat on medium high heat. ● Wash and cut vegetables. ● Once oil is hot, dip vegetables in tempura batter and gently drop into oil. Let cook for a few minutes or until golden brown, then flip to let finish cooking. ● Once the entire vegetable is golden brown, remove from oil and lay on tissue paper or napkins to drain excess oil. ● Serve with ponzu sauce (see above)

Green Tea Green tea is served with many meals and sweets in Japanese culture. My favorite is Sencha, which can come either loose-leaf or in bag and is delicious when boiled and served hot with a side of mochi.

Sushi Rice Sushi rice is a vegan friendly and delicious base to many Japanese dishes. My family’s recipe is simple and delicious.

Ingredients: ● ½ cup rice vinegar ● 6 ½ tablespoons sugar ● 1 teaspoon salt ● 10 drops sesame oil Directions: ● Combine all of the ingredients above by whisking in a bowl until there are no “grits.” ● Use above 6 to 7 tablespoons per 8 cups of steamed white sushi rice, or to taste.

Scattered Sushi This is one of my favorite meals to cook, and while it is not entirely traditional, it is based on a traditional Japanese concept and is delicious, bright, colorful, nutritious, and easy to make.

Ingredients: ● Sushi rice (seen above) ● Cucumber, diced ● Carrot, julienned ● Avocado, diced ● Edamame, cooked and taken out of the pod ● Nori, cut into strips (easily done with scissors)

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● Sesame seeds, toasted ● Soy Sauce ● Wasabi Directions: ● Prepare sushi rice and place in a bowl. ● Arrange cucumber, carrot, avocado, and edamame on top of the rice. ● Sprinkle nori strips and toasted sesame seeds on top of the bowl. ● In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce and wasabi, to taste. Drizzle the mixture on top of the scattered sushi.

Vegetable Sushi Ingredients: ● Sushi rice (see above) ● Julienned or sliced vegetables of choice (cucumber, carrot, avocado, etc…) ● Nori sheets ● Soy Sauce ● Wasabi Directions: ● Lay a sheet of nori down on a bamboo sushi rolling mat. Press sushi rice into the nori over approximately half of the sheet. ● Place vegetables in a line in the middle of the rice. Make sure the vegetables touch both ends of the nori. ● Tightly roll the sushi, keeping the ingredients in the center of the rice, using the rolling mat for help. Use a bit of water to “seal” the sushi closed. ● Use a very sharp knife to cut the sushi into pieces. ● Serve with soy sauce and wasabi.

Tofu Katsu Ingredients for Katsu: ● 2 tablespoons soy sauce ● ¼ teaspoons sesame oil ● 1 tablespoon flour ● 2 tablespoons water ● 1 teaspoon canola oil for batter ● 1 cup Panko ● ½ inch canola oil in pan for frying ● ½ inch slabs of tofu that has been pressed Directions for Katsu: ● To make marinade, combine soy sauce, sesame oil, flour, water, and 1 teaspoon canola oil.

Let sit for at least 10 minutes. ● Dip tofu slabs in Panko. Be sure to press Panko firmly into the tofu without breaking it.

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● Heat canola oil on medium high in a frying skillet. ● When oil is hot, drop tofu slabs in and fry until golden on each side. ● Serve with katsu sauce (below).

Ingredients for Sauce: ● 3 tablespoons rice vinegar ● ¼ teaspoon garlic powder ● ½ cup of soy sauce ● 2 tablespoons ketchup ● 1 teaspoon dijon mustard ● 4 tablespoons sugar Directions for Sauce: ● Combine all ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 2 to 3 minutes, or until sugar has dissolved.

Mochi This recipe actually comes from a Hawaiian mochi collection by Jean Watanabe Hee entitled “Hawai’i’s Best Mochi Recipes.” My family has used this my entire life.

Ingredients: ● 16 ounces of Mochiko (sweet rice flour) ● 1 teaspoon baking powder ● 2 ½ cups sugar ● 2 cups water ● 12 ounces of coconut milk ● 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ● Vegan food coloring (optional) Directions: ● Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. ● Mix dry and wet ingredients separately. ● Slowly combine wet ingredients into dry ingredients by mixing until there are no more clumps. ● Add vanilla and, if desired, food coloring. ● Pour mixture into a greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Cover tightly with foil. Place in the center of oven. ● Bake for 1 hour. Uncover and let cool completely.

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Eating Out While Japanese and Vegan At family reunions or restaurants, there may be no explicitly offered “vegan” options. However, many Japanese cuisine items happen to be vegan. It is important to always ask the waiter or chef if any of the dishes below have any animal by-products, as recipes can vary.

“Safety” Dishes These dishes tend to always be vegan, but it is still important to clarify with the restaurant or caterer.

Edamame Japanese Green Tea Inari Kappa Maki (Cucumber Roll) Oshinko Maki (Pickled Daikon Roll) Sake (Wine)

“Questionable” Dishes This may be either vegan or contain animal by-products, depending on the recipes used by restaurants.

Mochi

“No-Go” Dishes These seemingly vegan-friendly dishes are rarely, if ever, vegan at restaurants.

Miso Soup Miso Soup often contains bonito, or fish flakes, and in some “Americanized” versions, a chickenbased broth is used instead of a vegetable-miso broth.

Vegetable Tempura Tempura batter typically contains eggs and some serving sauces may include oyster sauce, which is commonly used in sweet sushi sauces and dipping sauces for fried items in Japanese restaurants.

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担々麺 (Tantan noodles, tantanmen) MIO *Makes one serving SOUP § Tahini – 2 Tbsp § Grind sesame – 1 Tbsp § Broth (from konbu & shiitake mushroom) – 250 ml § Soy sauce - 1.5 Tbsp § Amazake – 2 Tbsp § Ginger - 1 portion TOPPING § Soy meat (minced type) - ½ cup § Shiitake mushroom - 1 or 2 used for broth § 長ネギ (leek) – 5 cm § Miso – 1 Tbsp∼ § Sesame oil § Red chili (optional) § § §

Chinese chili oil (as much as you like) Vegan ramen noodle - 1 serving Boiled bok choy (optional)

1.

2.

Soy meat は戻し (soak in water), dice shiitake mushroom and 長ネギ (leek).

Heat pan and sauté (炒める) soy meat, shiitake mushroom, 長ネギ (leek), and red chili with sesame oil.

Once cooked, add miso and mix.

Boil water for the noodle. While doing so, blend all soup ingredients, put them in a pot and heat for a while.

Once the noodle is cooked and ready, put it in a bowl with the soup and top it with soy meat, chili oil, and bok choy.

3.

4.

5.

Feel free to add in more soy sauce, sesame, or whatever seasoning you like!

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NIMONO: The Best Way to Cook Kabocha ANNA WILDMAN Find more of Anna’s vegan recipes at runningvegannyc.com The nimono, or simmering, technique is by far my favorite way to cook kabocha squash. It also happens to be the fastest and easiest way.

That’s a win-win situation, if I’ve ever seen one.

Let’s start with the basics: WHAT IS KABOCHA? § Japanese pumpkin § Pretty heavy (2-3 lbs) § Green/orange § Tastes richer and sweeter than most other squash § Rich in beta carotene (good for the skin/hair!), iron, vitamin C, and potassium. § THE BEST SQUASH (and maybe vegetable) EVER WHAT IS NIMONO? § Japanese cooking technique § Involves simmering ingredients (veggies, tofu, meat) in stock (mix of sugar, sake mirin, soy sauce, and dashi) until the liquid is completely absorbed I need to start by saying I am lazy and this is not an authentic nimono recipe. Authentic nimono includes sugar, sake, mirin, soy sauce, and dashi, as stated above. However, I don’t have all of those ingredients on hand (and don’t eat dashi, which is traditionally made with fish), so I use my own different, but similar, ingredients.

Feel free to do the same with whatever you have in your pantry.

Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes Total time: 25 minutes

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WHAT YOU’LL NEED: § 1/2 to 3/4 of a kabocha (depending on the size) § For the stock: § 3 tbsp soy sauce § 1 tsp sweetener (I use agave) § 2 tbsp rice vinegar § 1 tsp hot pepper flakes (I use gochugaru) § 1 tbsp miso paste § Water (or veggie stock) WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO DO: 1. Cut the kabocha in half. Scoop the seeds out with a spoon.

2. Cut the kabocha into 3″ square pieces.

3. In a bowl, mix the rest of the ingredients except for the water.

4. Place the kabocha pieces into a pot.

5. Pour the stock mixture into the pot.

6. Pour enough water (or veggie stock) so that the kabocha slices are covered.

7. Turn on your stove to high heat, and bring the stock to a boil.

8. Once boiling, turn down the heat to low and cover the pot.

9. Let it simmer until the liquid is completely absorbed. It should take around 20 minutes.

Top it on salads, add it in soups, or have

it as a side!

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Aloha from Hawaii,

Growing up on the island of Oahu has instilled a great sense of respect for the land that provides for us. “Malama ka `aina”, which means to care for and live in harmony with the land is a value that was instilled in me from a very young age. This straightforward relationship has been honored for thousands of years and is the heart of Hawaiian values.

Yeah, I am not Hawaiian but Hawaii is my home and any non-Hawaiians who visit this precious land can understand why so many deeply appreciate this way of being. Respect the land as it provides for us, it’s very simple and kinda beautiful ya.

This adoration for nature and all it provides has definitely been a huge factor in why I went vegan and why I love it so much. It is a value that lived on in me abroad in Japan and will continue to stay with me wherever my travels will take me in life. Although being vegan has brought so much joy into my life, when I left my comfortable little island and landed in a huge city, veganism ironically became the reason for self-conflict and frustration for a little while. It was a huge cultural shock to see little to no awareness of the truth behind where our food comes from. “Vegan” is not as common in Japan as it is in America. I soon came to realize it was actually a blessing in disguise as my longing for peaceful cuisine and likeminded people brought me AMAZING friendships and is how I met Mei in Tokyo.J Veganism is not a sacrifice, it is respect to all living beings and pure love and I am so excited to see that the peaceful movement is, slowly but surely, making its way across the world.

Now about the recipe!

After a rad surf sesh on a beautiful Hawaii day I’m either shoving my face with an acai bowl or whipping up my favorite coffee smoothie. It tastes like dessert and packs a punch to keep me up and movin through the rest of my day. It’s creamy, chocolate-y, coffee- infused, banana sweet with little crunchy surprises from the cocoa nibs and coffee grounds.

Absolutely heavenly. I absolutely support local so when I make this I brew some Hawaii grown coffee and add the same grounds! Sometimes I use macadamia nut, island vanilla, or coconut flavored coffee for a little fun. On occasion I’ll splurge and get my hands on some 100% Kona coffee and of course local bananas are a must! I encourage you to find some amazing local coffee and ingredients near you.

Mahalos, Christina Davila

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MOCHA JAVA SMOOTHIE Ingredients • • • • • • • • •

½ cup almond milk (store-bought or homemade) ½ cup strong chilled coffee 1 ripe frozen banana 1 scoop chocolate protein powder* 1 Tbsp coffee grounds Dash of cinnamon powder 1 tsp cocoa nibs 5 ice cubes optional: 1Tbsp chia seeds, flax seeds* * You can also sub this for 2 Tbsp of cocoa powder.

I use the Whole Foods brand chocolate plant based protein powder, I think it tastes and blends the best! *Chia and flax seeds thickens it up a little bit.

Instructions 1. To a blender, add all the ingredients except the ice and coca nibs and blend at a high speed until creamy and smooth.

2. If too thick, thin with water or more almond milk. If too thin, thicken with ice or more frozen banana. Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more protein powder or cocoa powder for more chocolate flavor, coffee for more coffee flavor, or almond milk for creaminess (optional).

3. Add the ice and cocoa nibs and run the blender on high for 10-20 seconds. It should appear smooth, consistent, and freckled with cocoa nibs and coffee grounds.

4. ENJOY BRAH

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Matcha Latte ANNA WILDMAN Find more of Anna’s vegan recipes at runningvegannyc.com If you know me, you know I love matcha.

I use the microwave to make my lattes, so if you’re a microwave-hater, you can easily do this on the stovetop. I just find it easier/quicker to do it in the 電子レンジ. (Read: denshi-renji.

AKA microwave in Japanese. Thought I’d throw in a lil Japanese lesson for ya.

This is a matcha recipe, after all.) If you’re using the stovetop, just use a saucepan in place of a cup.

YOU WILL NEED: § 1/2-1 tsp matcha powder (depending on how rich you want it) § Bamboo whisk (or spoon or normal whisk) § 1/4 cup water § 1 cup almond milk (or any other non-dairy milk) OPTIONAL: § Sweetener (e.g. agave nectar, maple syrup) § 1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder METHOD: 1. In a small cup, bring the water to a boil in the microwave (should take a little less than 1 min).

2. Once boiling, remove and pour in the matcha powder.

3. In a separate cup (can be the mug you plan to drink the latte in), heat up the milk for 1.5 min in the microwave.

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4. While the milk is heating up, whisk the matcha and water together rigorously until thoroughly combined.

5. Once the milk is hot, remove from the 電子レンジ (WTF are those characters, you ask?! Should have paid attention to my little Japanese lesson above…).

6. Pour the matcha/water mixture into the cup with the milk.

You can add cocoa powder at the same time you add the matcha if you want a more chocolate-y flavor. You can also add a sweetener at the end if you like your drinks sweet. I usually don’t need a sweetener because I like to buy milk that already has a little sugar in it so that I don’t need to add any more later. My favorites are Califia Farms Original, Silk Almond Milk Original, and Silk Soy Milk Original.

DECOLONIZING VEGANISM 43

ART

DECOLONIZING VEGANISM • ART 45

messy mind (2017) RAE RAE I never plan out my work, I just do what feels right, and the end result was messy mind.

It's sort of a self-portrait. Ever since going vegan, I've become more confident about both my art and my body/appearance. This piece reminds me of how self-destructive humans can be. While growing up, in my subconscious mind I knew l ate people and I blamed myself for it for 15 years.

DECOLONIZING VEGANISM • ART 46

裏面 (Rimen) (2017) LEONA WADA

I became vegan for selfish reasons - I wanted to be healthy. It started as another diet that I followed in hopes of losing weight "healthily,” as my past eating disorder still lurked in my mind. I looked up all the reasons why meat and other animal products are toxic for the body and was shocked by the reality of all the adverse environmental and health effects, as well as the brutal, unethical treatment of the animals. Shortly after, veganism to me was no longer just a diet to control myself. This collage is just a glimpse of the reality that I realized exists behind an individual's burger, glass of milk, or piece of steak. By no means do I intend on hating or shaming anyone who chooses to eat meat, but through my art, I instead want to share what captivated me.

DECOLONIZING VEGANISM • ART 47

World Is

(2017)

Is the world beautiful? Is the world cruel? Is the world insane? The beauty of the places where I went, the beauty of the world, how I see the colors, the suffocating feeling of living under control, and how I see the world…all that makes me break down.

DECOLONIZING VEGANISM 49

INTERVIEW

DECOLONIZING VEGANISM • INTERVIEW 50

What did your experience of adopting veganism look like? あなたがヴィーガン（完全菜食主義者）になるまでの経緯を 教えてください。 正直 1 番はじめにベジタリアンに興味を持ち出した理由はあまり覚えていないけど私は音楽が大好 きで好きなアメリカのバンドマンにベジタリアン/ヴィーガンが多かったのがきっかけで関心を持ち 出しました。もともと子供の頃からそれほど肉食て訳ではなく「私も彼らみたいになりたい。新しい し unique やしカッコいいやんヴィーガン！笑」くらいの感覚でトライしたらハマって、その後フー ドドキュメンタリーを見たり実際ヴィーガンの友達が増える中で自分が生涯続けたいライフスタイル はこれだと思いました。 - YUKIYO It started out with omitting solid meat and products tested on animals, when I was about 14. Then I removed any other animal products except fish from my diet when I was 18, and shortly after that (about 1-3 months) I became completely vegan. Practically speaking, I didn’t have a problem with adopting veganism as a lifestyle such as using cruelty-free products and neither eating nor wearing animal products because my belief in animal rights was very strong (and it still is). However, it was hard receiving negative reactions from my family and friends. I was a fragile, emotional child, and I wasn’t used to being bashed or ignored.

- ANNIE F. My vegan journey was a rough one I guess. Before going vegan I hade been struggling with depression and not knowing my self-worth. After more than a year of being vegan, I still deal with some personal struggles, but my mind feels much clearer than ever before.

- RAE RAE In 1997, I was 22, and up until then I had been doing a lot of drugs, not taking care of myself. Being around the punk rock community, I already knew a lot of vegetarians, so I went vegetarian with a friend who was in a similar boat as me. We wanted to try and clean up our lives. Then a few months after that I met my current partner, Chad Miller, and he had been vegetarian/vegan for many years.

He went on a trip to the UK and came back with knowledge about rennet in cheese, so when we realized most cheese wasn’t even vegetarian, we decided to go vegan together right away.

- EMIKO BADILLO

DECOLONIZING VEGANISM • INTERVIEW 51

It was a pretty long process between declaring going vegan and actually being 100% vegan. For the first few weeks, I would still allow myself to eat seafood every now and then. I eventually gave up seafood but still “cheated” or slipped up once or twice by allowing myself to eat seafood while traveling or while at a seafood restaurant. It wasn’t until I was about 8 months vegan that I finally transitioned to the vegan lifestyle 100%.

- ANNA WILDMAN 動物や地球環境について考えるとベジタリアンという生き方が理にかなっていると思いベジタリアン になりました。基本的にはヴィーガンですが、時と場合によって完全でないこともあります。 - 川野陽子 My experience with Veganism has definitely been a journey, and I can honestly say I never thought I would go 100% vegan! I was always a crazy animal lover since I was a little girl. When I was 16, the idea of eating meat really turned me off--even without knowing too much about how it got from farm to table. I tried an experiment with a friend to cut out meat and eggs because my brother told me they weren’t good for your skin! As a high school student suffering from moderate to severe acne, I was willing to try anything and stop the useless Pinterest home remedies. After only a week, the redness in my face had calmed down, my skin was drastically less oily, and all around my skin was in much better condition. I was shocked! I knew there was so much more to eating meat than we realized so I did more research and fell into a rabbit hole of the horrors of factory farming. I never ate meat again and then slowly but surely cut out dairy and eggs completely by age 18. I began phasing out animal-tested products and made the pledge to not purchase leather. At the beginning of 2015, I cut out fish and have been vegan since then. Best decision of my life!

- CHRISTINA DAVILA 私は幼い頃からアトピーでした。19 歳の頃、今までで 1 番クレイジーなくらい症状が酷くなりまし た。私は何かを変えなきゃと思い食生活を変えました。お野菜をたくさん食べ、動物性食品をとらな くなりました。そうすると半年後にはすっかりアトピーが無くなりました。それからは野菜のパワー を信じてプラントベースな食生活をしています。自分の体の為にヴィーガンになりましたが、今では 動物や環境、地球の為にもヴィーガンでいたいと思っています。 - MISATO

DECOLONIZING VEGANISM • INTERVIEW 52

How did your family and friends initially react to your veganism? あなたがヴィーガンになった当初、家族や友人はどのように 反応しましたか。 They definitely didn’t take me seriously at first. They thought it was just a phase, something that I would do for a few months and then give up. My mother was particularly concerned, since she is Japanese and veganism isn’t really a thing in Japan. Many Japanese dishes include fish products, and fish is viewed as a very healthy product, so she was worried about my health.

- ANNA WILDMAN My parents didn’t support my veganism at all, and my siblings were indifferent to it. My parents tried to stop me from being vegan by dominating arguments and constantly nagging me. The alienation went on for about half a year. My close friends were cool with it, though none of them have become vegan.

- ANNIE F.

ただ「え？なんで？」 とか「お肉食べないと protein 不足するよ」「人生損してる」とかとにかく ネガティヴなコメントばかりでした。 - YUKIYO I would be lying if I said a huge factor in my initial switch to vegetarianism wasn't influenced by my mom’s reaction. She hated it. Which made me love it more HAHA. The fact that people told me I couldn't live a healthy happy life embracing a vegan lifestyle was the fire behind my passion for it.

People’s skepticism always made me FURIOUS. Veganism presented a challenge for the 1 year I spent in Tokyo, Japan. In social settings, explaining it was difficult since my Japanese peers didn't understand what I ate and why I would choose this “inconvenient” way of living. However, this spurred me to invest more effort into embracing veganism and trying to teach people about it!

- CHRISTINA DAVILA

驚ろくひと批判する人応援する人様々でした。 - 川野陽子

DECOLONIZING VEGANISM • INTERVIEW 53

They didn’t really react. I’ve always been interested in and lived my life around things not common, so it wasn’t anything they were surprised about.

- EMIKO BADILLO

私の友人は簡単に理解してくれました。でも、彼らはヴィーガンになれないと思うと言いました。私 の両親は、ヴィーガンでいることを理解してくれません。 - MISATO My parents were cool about my choice, but also angered by veganism. Last March, I went vegan; my two sisters were already three months vegan. My mom was angered because we all stopped eating animal products. She was struggling with the fact that we changed. But she understood our reasoning for the life change. Our dad on the other hand seemed awkward about the whole thing. I think he was shocked at how much our household changed. He started eating in secret when he ate animals. I did judge him because he continually told us how much he supports veganism, even though he said he feels like he could never make the change himself. My friends were very calm about the whole thing I guess. On a lunch date with two of my friends, I announced that I was going vegan. I asked if they knew what veganism is, and they both knew did. I was shocked. They were nice about it - not much judgment, just a lot of questions.

- RAE RAE

DECOLONIZING VEGANISM • INTERVIEW 54

What about now? Has their reaction changed over time? それ以降、家族や友達の反応は変化しましたか。 私の両親はまだ理解してくれません。 - MISATO My whole family accepts my veganism now, even though to my sorrow, none of them are vegan. My parents were mainly worried about both physical and mental health of mine when I became vegan.

Since it’s been about four years and I’ve stayed just as healthy as I always was, I guess they feel safer about it. My siblings and I never talked much about it, but I feel like they treat my veganism as less of a weird thing than they used to.

- ANNIE F.

理解してくれる人もいれば関係ないと考える人もいます。 - 川野陽子 Now at home, almost every meal we make is vegan. My mom is mostly plant-based, and my dad is somewhat vegan/vegetarian. But they both didn't do their own research about animal agriculture (that I know of). Close friends of mine are considerate of my lifestyle and are interested in veganism.

Other friends continuously bug me about dumb shit.

- RAE RAE

とにかくヴィーガンになってから私の性格がポジティブになってイキイキしだして新しい食べ物を料 理したりする様子をみてから家族も今はサポートしてくれてます。 - YUKIYO Now they’ve accepted it and respect my lifestyle. My mother will cook vegan food for me whenever I’m home, and my friends will go to vegan restaurants with me. They know that it’s not something I’m going to give up any time soon, if ever, so they support me.

- ANNA WILDMAN

DECOLONIZING VEGANISM • INTERVIEW 55

My friends are very supportive about me being vegan, and a handful of them are vegetarian/vegan or have been at one point so it’s never a problem. My family wasn't supportive up until recently; my mom still has her jabs, but my brother lives in LA now and tries to eat vegetarian as much as he can which makes me so happy! My grandparents will never understand, but it doesn't bother me because how do you explain veganism to people who lost siblings from lack of food during the war, right? My close Japanese friends in Tokyo were intrigued and very supportive; we would actually try all kinds of vegan food around Japan, which was a lot of fun!

- CHRISTINA DAVILA It’s normal for them for me to be like this.

- EMIKO BADILLO

DECOLONIZING VEGANISM • INTERVIEW 56

How did you experience veganism during your time in Japan? 日本国内でヴィーガンとして生活する/した経験について、 教えてください。 I’ve visited Japan several times in my life to visit family, and a few times since I’ve been vegan. The first couple times were easy since my mom could navigate my vegan needs for me by speaking with people at restaurants or reading ingredients on products. And most of the time, we didn’t go out to eat that much since my family would cook me food at home. The last time I visited, my partner and I were on our own, and we ate fine. We just ate the same things a lot that we knew were safe while we were traveling around. We don’t mind doing that while we travel. I think going vegan back when veganism wasn’t mainstream gave us the ability to not be spoiled about not being able to find vegan food easily, so we learned how to make-do with little resources.

- EMIKO BADILLO 自炊する、対応できる店を選ぶ、周りに呼びかけることをしています。 - 川野陽子 It’s definitely harder to be vegan in Japan than in wealthier western countries such as the United States, where I studied for two semesters. In Japan, people are often unaware of different diets and there’s also this idea that it’s rude to decline food someone offers you or to be picky about food when you’re in a group, so I always feel awkward when I need to explain veganism at work, or when I have to decline food. Even considering I’m an extreme introvert, I imagine interacting with noneducated Japanese non-vegans is exhausting for many Japanese vegans.

- ANNIE F. It was tricky, but not impossible. I sought out vegan restaurants, which were all really delicious.

However, a lot of dishes at normal restaurants had animal products, so I had to make a lot of special requests. One soba restaurant we went to only had dashi stock (which has fish), so I had to ask for plain hot water and then I just seasoned it with soy sauce. All of the restaurants were very accommodating, so it wasn’t a big issue.

- ANNA WILDMAN

DECOLONIZING VEGANISM • INTERVIEW 57

In Japan, most Japanese people have no clue about veganism or even vegetarianism. This is surprising because the popular religion nationwide is しんとう, and Buddhism. I'm not good with the details, but both religions are about honoring nature. But when people know I'm vegan they all ask me if it's because of my religion or if I am on a diet. I've noticed that most of them haven't even considered the horror behind the lives they consume on a daily basis. I guess I experience veganism as a way of teaching a better lifestyle.

- RAE RAE

慣れてくると案外簡単やけど基本的にレストランを事前にサーチして行くとこを決めるか食べ物をも って行かないと難しいからまだまだ日本でヴィーガンでいることは難しいと思う。 - YUKIYO Veganism was hard at first because “vegan” really wasn't even known in Japan until recently! It was really in the year that I lived there that I saw it becoming popular; it’s still more of a “fad diet” as of now, but I can see the potential! Growing up I visited Japan a lot, but I have never seen veganism advertised as much as when I lived there! I think it has a lot to do with the drastically growing number of internationals! Navigating veganism in Japan definitely took a toll on me at first, especially on top of the normal stresses of moving. However, once I found like-minded people and a great group of close supportive friends, living in Japan became amazing! Finding vegan food and seeing my friends and aunty who supported my lifestyle and became interested in learning about it was so exciting! One of the things that made the hard year in Japan worthwhile--and I will hold it my heart forever--is that every one of my coworkers went from never hearing “vegan” in their life to knowing more about in the short time I was there.

- CHRISTINA DAVILA

日本では、ヴィーガンでいることは難しいと思います。普通のカフェやレストランはヴィーガンに対 する選択肢が少ないです。 - MISATO

DECOLONIZING VEGANISM • INTERVIEW 58

How do you reconcile your veganism with your Japanese identity? How does veganism conflict and/or complement your “Japanese-ness”? ヴィーガンであることは、あなたの日本人としてのアイデン ティティにどんな影響を与えていますか。日本人でありなが ら、同時にヴィーガンとして生きることは可能だと思います か。 One thing that is mesmerizing about veganism is just how simple it is. I am definitely attracted to the minimalist value that is encouraged through veganism. There is something extremely satisfying about living day to day more sustainably, a lifestyle sourced by nature! It's a simple lifestyle that impacted me positively and healed my relationship with food. After removing animal products from my diet and seeing the effects through my skin I knew there was something big behind this change. I couldn't brush it off as a coincidence and became mentally aware of what I was putting into my body and the effects it had on me physically, emotionally, and even spiritually. It was then that I understood that what we put into our bodies really affects our lives. I realized that natural, plantbased food has great potential to change lives. It’s amazing how a simple change can give me a more positive outlook on life. Moving to Japan and seeing the simplicity of many traditional Japanese dishes was lovely to me. Miso soup, tofu, rice, ume, soba, nabe, sake, tsukemono. All can be vegan, and their beautiful simplicity really caught my eye. The Japanese have so much pride when it comes to their traditional cuisine. They put a lot of emphasis on seasonal produce and careful preparation; these traditions are carried through centuries, but are also constantly perfected.

I find this mindfulness and love for simplicity with regards to food beautiful, and complementary to my vegan lifestyle.

- CHRISTINA DAVILA I don't really care for my Japanese identity. I mean I am happy to be born in Okinawa and have the experience of having two cultures and languages, but I don't know. When I eat 和食, I do love that I can eat normal plant-based Japanese food, cause in the US I don't know what the traditional food is.

- RAE RAE

DECOLONIZING VEGANISM • INTERVIEW 59

可能です それに周りの人と違う自分の unique さに私はすごい誇りをもっているしなんせ楽しいか らやめれない。笑 - YUKIYO I think part of the reason why it took so long for me to give up seafood is because of my Japanese identity. A big part of being Japanese is the food: sushi, grilled fish, takoyaki, etc. Giving up seafood was like giving up part of my essence. However, looking at the bigger picture helped me overcome this. Going vegan was not about me—I was doing it for the environment and the animals. There are plenty of Japanese foods that are vegan, like mochi, shojin ryori, and natto. I realized that being vegan and being Japanese are not mutually exclusive; I could be both and still be me.

- ANNA WILDMAN Veganism definitely makes me stand out in Japanese society, and standing out in that way is generally not so Japanese-y. However, Japanese vegans fuse veganism and Japanese culture pretty well so it’s not that hard to remain feeling Japanese (e.g. dishes like soy meat karaage and yuba omelet). On the other hand, I was 18 when I became vegan, so I was still in the middle of exploring my identity at that time. I was forced to think of veganism as a core of my identity because everyone around me treated me as a “vegan” rather than just me. It lessened as time went by, and as for my Japanese-ness, I used to think me being vegan makes me less Japanese, but it gradually disappeared as I got to know more about the vegan movement in Japan.

- ANNIE F. 日本人としてヴィーガンで暮らせると思います。昔の和食はヴィーガンスタイルに似ているものがあ る。 - MISATO Identifying as both Japanese and Chicana is something I reconcile everyday in itself. Mostly because of people’s perceptions of who I am by what I look like to them. Microaggressions and racism is something I have to work hard on navigating daily. Being vegan in the middle of all that is the easy part.

- EMIKO BADILLO はい。 - 川野陽子

DECOLONIZING VEGANISM • INTERVIEW 60

Do you feel isolated as a vegan of Japanese descent? If so, how have you coped? 日本人または日系人としてヴィーガンを実践する上で、疎外 感を味わったことがありますか。その時、どのように対処し ましたか。 Yes, because Japanese vegans, especially animal rights ones, are still fairly rare. But it is possible to find Japanese animal rights vegans nowadays thanks to the Internet, and I can even see a few in person because I live close to Tokyo. I can speak English so I can also reach out to other vegans who speak English. However, sometimes I do feel like chatting with others in Japanese what it is like being a vegan in Japan, so I’m grateful that I have these Japanese vegan friends I can talk to face-toface.

- ANNIE F. Recently I joined a collective in town called Asians4BlackLives. We’re a diverse group of Asians who have come together as a response to the Black Lives Matter movement. This is the first group I’ve joined identifying as Asian, and it’s been an interesting experience. Up until a couple years ago, I’ve identified more as being Chicana because of growing up in San Antonio and also because I’ve wanted to stand more for my race that isn’t seen as a “model minority” like my Japanese side is. But I’ve realized that my Japanese side is just as important to me, and I can use my privileges also as a “model minority” to do work in support of others. I’m the only vegan so far in this group. But, I’m used to being the only vegan in a lot of spaces centered around social justice issues outside of animal rights. I cope because I’m used to it, and I’m proud to represent a person of color who has expanded their social justice intersectionality to include non-human animals. I’m proud to say I’m willing to change cultural traditions around food, animals, violence, and power dynamics to be a more compassionate person. I have more challenges coping around being biracial in this group because most other biracial Asians are half-white, where I am two halves of two distinct and rich cultures. I have the same struggles in all Latinx groups.

- EMIKO BADILLO

少しありますが、自分の意見を伝えて食べない選択をしています。 - 川野陽子

DECOLONIZING VEGANISM • INTERVIEW 61

Not at all! I am of Japanese descent but my dad is from Guatemala and I grew up loving being mixed! Both my Japanese and Spanish roots are important to me and I have no problem at all being a vegan in the midst of all my non-vegan family members!

- CHRISTINA DAVILA

しょっちゅう言われるのが「日本人やのになんで！？ 宗教？」って聞かれて変人がられる。笑 そう いう時にまだ認知度が低いなて思います ただ私は 1 で言ったみたいに「違うただクールやと思うし あんまり肉好きじゃないから」て軽く答えてます。 - YUKIYO 時々。私以外の友人は焼肉に行くけれど、私はもう焼肉に行けないから。笑 でも、気にしていま ん！次回、彼らを私のお気に入りのヴィーガンカフェに連れて行くから！笑 - MISATO I don't feel isolated at all. Veganism in Okinawa is just starting to pick up, and I love that I can participate in vegan events like BBQs, food fests, school clubs, and protests.

- RAE RAE Not really—I view it as a privilege to be able to educate other Japanese people about the vegan lifestyle. Many Japanese people do not know what veganism is, and it’s a great opportunity to educate them on what it is and why I do it. It’s a pretty cool position to be in.

- ANNA WILDMAN

DECOLONIZING VEGANISM • INTERVIEW 62

What losses have you experienced through adopting veganism – fallout with family/friends, alienation, inability to participate in cultural events, etc.? ヴィーガンになったことで、喪失感や疎外感を味わうことが ありますか。例えば、家族や友達との関係悪化、孤立化、食 文化に関わるイベントに参加できなくなったなど。 I can’t think of too many losses I had through adopting veganism to be honest! I have so much fun being vegan. I mean it 100% when I say it's the best decision I have ever made in my life, and I want other people to experience it. I love sharing my vegan story or examples of what I eat during my day.

There are definitely times when I want to eat a certain thing and it’s kind of a bummer when it’s not vegan. For example, when I first moved to Japan sushi and ramen, were TEMPTING. When my friends and family saw how committed I was to veganism, being able to resist the good food and all, it made them so much more intrigued about veganism. There is no bowl of ramen or piece of sushi that beats the feeling of seeing their mind blown. I LOVED IT! The biggest conflict I faced was within myself. Calming the anger that bubbled in me and keeping it from boiling over when I hear closeminded people comment negatively on veganism or the way I live my life was difficult. Turning that rage into patience and inspiration to be a great example of veganism was definitely a frustrating two-year fight and journey. Luckily, now those comments don't bother me too much. Nobody shifts from an average western diet to a vegan lifestyle overnight. In a society that is overly dependent on animal products, the truth that awakens the change to become vegan is hushed. The effects of our decisions are not advertised alongside the product, they are well masked behind marketing.

Although “vegan” is hitting the mainstream today it's still very new and, to many, taboo. I realized that becoming an example of the change I wish to see in the world invites opportunity to help our earth, our animal friends, and our future.

- CHRISTINA DAVILA あります。基本的に大学の付き合いは参加できないというよりしたくないですヴィーガンオプション はまだまだ少ないしみんな色々きいてくるから。 - YUKIYO

DECOLONIZING VEGANISM • INTERVIEW 63

I haven’t had any fallout with friends/family, but I will say that it has caused a bit of distance with my friends. I’m really involved in the vegan community, so there’s this whole other world that I’m a part of that they are not. Traveling as a vegan is also a little tricky, since you’re not going to be able to eat a lot of the traditional cuisine of the place you are visiting. That could be considered a loss as well.

- ANNA WILDMAN My parents and I had an intense conflict for about half a year, and I definitely lost a little respect for them during that time. It was quite ugly, and I can remember some things they have done that still hurt. This is also the same for my siblings and non-vegan friends, because they don’t become vegan or even consider becoming one after I introduce them to veganism. I became much more careful about interacting with people after I went vegan, and as a result few people have became my real friends since then. I've become really weary with events that I’m obligated to attend with my extended family, because shops and restaurants in Japan are often quite ignorant and unaccommodating for vegans.

- ANNIE F. I haven’t really experienced any losses. I’ve always done things differently, and the friends I’ve had have always been similarly open-minded, so there weren’t any loss in friends. I do miss some foods from my cultures that can’t be replicated vegan, but for cultural events, I think being biracial, with my mom being Japanese, and my dad being Chicano, we never fully immersed ourselves in one culture more than the other. I’d say I experienced more of my Chicanx culture since I grew up in San Antonio, TX surrounded by Mexican-American culture, food, and more of my dad’s side of the family.

And I grew up with more Mexican-American influences that have affected our personalities and participated in more Mexican rituals around certain holidays, but being vegan wouldn’t really affect my not being able to participate, other than not being able to eat the meat tamales made during Xmas. But even with that, if need-be, I could get vegan tamales.

- EMIKO BADILLO 特にありません。代わりにヴィーガンフェスタに行けるから！ - MISATO

特にないです。 - 川野陽子

DECOLONIZING VEGANISM • INTERVIEW 64

I have lost relationships and respect through my vegan journey, but I'm very glad that I lost them.

Becoming a vegan made me into a realist, and it was hard to continue friendships with people who are stuck in their own little world, and people who fear the truth. My relationship with my sisters started to blossom, but my relationship with my dad grew distant. It was hard to see him eat animals.

My relationship with my grandmother, cousins, aunts, uncles, etc. (all on my Japanese side – we don't have contact with my American family) kind of grew apart. Our Japanese families would get together for cultural events like おぼん、シーミー、and お正月. I've been attending them all, but this year I kind of lost motivation. During these gatherings, where we are supposed to welcome our ancestors, or celebrate the New Year and wishing good health for the family, the food eaten is not vegan. I do love my family, but seeing them eat dead people does not coincide with the meaning/background of the event.

- RAE RAE

DECOLONIZING VEGANISM • INTERVIEW 65

How do you feel about the perception of veganism as a “white thing”? 「ヴィーガンは白人の文化である」という考え方について、 どう思いますか。 そうでもないと思います。 - 川野陽子 I have lots of feelings about this. I cringe when I see things that say “Vegan for the Animals” because it’s so much more than that. That’s a narrow vision of what veganism is and should have evolved to be. As much as veganism has evolved into this mainstream, healthy diet, lifestyle choice, it has gone away from the ethics of animal liberation, and not only animal lib, but also human liberation. POC liberation. The mainstreaming of veganism has reinforced even more the idea that veganism is for wealthy, white people because businesses have learned to market it to those folks, and it’s worked.

The more veganism has grown, it’s become a blessing and a curse towards more people eating vegan food, but less towards the liberation of anyone, animal or human. It’s putting more money in the hands of huge corporations who have finally seen the opportunity to make money off vegan food, and these are the same corporations who are enslaving animals and people alike. It’s a terrible cycle and system. Veganism has grown, but it’s grown away from ethics and political movements, and it is creating more of a divide in class and race. There are more POC vegans than ever before, but in comparison to how many more white, wealthy, single-issue, conservative, racist, Trump-loving vegans have been created because of the mainstreaming of veganism, it negates any positive progress. More POCs are exposed to veganism in media more than ever before, and most of the media shows veganism is for white, rich people, so everyone’s idea about what vegans are is on this same level, so when a POC goes vegan, they have that extra shitty job of having to justify their reasons to everyone, including their families, communities, strangers, etc. The fact that a person of color has extra work to do always, everyday in their lives, to fight people’s preconceived notions about them is hard enough, but then to have that extra work if they’re vegan, it’s awful to say the least.

- EMIKO BADILLO

ヴィーガンが白人の文化かどうかはわからないけれど、白人でもアジアンでもラテンでも、動物や環 境や地球の事を考えれば、結局は誰でもヴィーガンになれると思う。人種は関係ないと思います。 - MISATO

DECOLONIZING VEGANISM • INTERVIEW 66

I think it’s a valid perception. Today in the U.S., veganism is often portrayed as a consumer choice.

And in a lot of ways it is a privilege to be able to live a vegan lifestyle–a comfortable vegan lifestyle is not accessible to many. In the U.S., we have so much freedom to live the type of lifestyle we want.

The U.S.’ sense of individualism encourages more difference and risk-taking—in countries such as Japan, this isn’t necessarily the case. Veganism is also gaining momentum because of the damage the meat industry poses to our health, the environment, and animals, and world hunger. People living in the Global South or living in poverty suffer greatly from the meat industry but are not as visible in mainstream news as vegan activists due to their marginalization. Veganism is WIDELY advertised as a “healthy lifestyle,” divorced of ethics and spirituality, but there is so much more to it.

The fact that veganism has been practiced in non-white religions and cultures for centuries is overshadowed. There is a whole spiritual side of veganism that gets swallowed up by marketing and advertising that companies put out there for strictly consumer purposes. Well-known religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Taoism, encourage vegetarianism/veganism for their people, supported by beliefs in karma, sacred nature, and nonviolence. I can understand why there is a perception of veganism being a “white thing” so it doesn't bother me, but it does bother me when people view veganism with ONLY the face value of it being a “white thing” because it is so much more.

- CHRISTINA DAVILA

確かに日本で住んでたらあんまりヴィーガンになろうって思う機会少ないやろうけどただ私としては ライフスタイルの一貫であって人種とか全く関係ないと思う。 - YUKIYO I’m going to answer this within the context of the US. I think perhaps veganism started with mostly white people because as the dominant race, white people do not have to consider other major issues, such as racism. Minority groups deal with oppression on a daily basis, so being vegan may not be their number one priority. However, I do believe that there are aspects to veganism that can resonate with every one of every race—whether it’s the health, environmental, or animal rights benefits. Veganism can also have more to do with class than race—those in poorer countries/regions cannot afford to be picky about what they eat. They need to eat whatever they can get their hands on, meat or not.

- ANNA WILDMAN

DECOLONIZING VEGANISM • INTERVIEW 67

I don’t see veganism as a white thing, though white people in the UK and the US have made the movement a big deal as far as I can see. To be honest, calling it “a white movement” is utterly ridiculous and exclusive. Veganism itself has nothing to do with race, so I don’t think people should make it specific for one race. I’m proud of my cultural background as a Japanese, and I’m a hardcore animal rights vegan at the same time. They are just two different things.

- ANNIE F. When veganism is seen as a "white thing" I think people know it's becoming widespread. I don't like how most people assume vegans are extreme hippies or just trying it out for a diet or just doing it to be popular.

- RAE RAE

終わり