@teto @Jens_Rasmussen Oh and early in the Meiji Restoration average SOLDIER height was 150cm, after a generation of eating meat they grew to average European soldier height. Before that all they ate was rice, imagine how short someone who wasn't even getting rations was
that was the only meat they did not see as unclean.
@teto @Jens_Rasmussen @Some_German_Guy It was a little of both, and also one of the main concerns was driving native animals extinct. It was a bit of a legal grey area even, but they still snuck in meat sometimes. People actually would occasionally eat meat as “medicine” to treat protein deficiencies even. And by Edo there were restaurants that operated like speak-easys that would serve meat on the down low. The food culture especially during Edo was pretty interesting, IIRC Edo had the highest amount of restaurants per capita in the world. I guess the stereotype of Japan being obsessed with culinary stuff was always a thing.
Still, before they got the European and American influence in their food, it looked super bland for the average person. Almost entirely grains and pickled vegetables with occasional fish, yeah.
