Thanks to the Olympics held in Sochi, the Japanese became interested in everything Russian - matryoshka dolls, language, Russian flag, etc. Increasingly, the Russian flag can be seen on the streets of Japan, and many Japanese TV presenters say goodbye and greet viewers in Russian.
Images of nesting dolls, the Russian flag and a map of Russia in this country can now be seen everywhere. And if before the Olympics in Sochi the only Russian dish known in Japan was pies, now this list has expanded significantly.
After the start of the Olympics, some Japanese restaurants began to offer Russian borscht in their menu, which is described, however, as stewed vegetables with meat. Due to the impossibility of including all Russian dishes on the menu, they offer traditional "takoyaki" - balls of dough with pieces of octopus inside, but with a certain peculiarity: one of them, in the style of "Russian roulette", is filled with something spicy. This dish is purchased by whole companies as a snack.
On the Internet, the Japanese are also vividly discussing issues related to Russia. In chats, they talk about what else could be interesting to cook from Russian cuisine. A popular question and answer service in their area, called "The Bag of Wisdom", is overwhelmed with requests to share the recipes of Russian dishes.
At a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the Russian organizing committee of the Olympic Games will share with Japan some of the best practices and experience in preparing for the Olympics, which will be held in their country in 2020.
