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American Burger in Japan Submitted by: kayokorob
Tokyo, Japan

Imagine being an American ex-pat living in Japan for 3 years and craving a big, juicy hamburger. Something often taken for granted in the US can be difficult to find abroad. Sure, there are hamburgers in Japan. There is ham-bah-gu (ハンバーグ), which is served on a plate without bread and is more akin to meatloaf. Then there is ham-bah-ga (ハンバーガー), which is an American-style hamburger, but generally small, like what you would find at a fast food chain. McDonald's exists in Japan (and around the world), but this is not my idea of a tasty burger. When most people think of Japan, they think "Tokyo". Now, picture being an American ex-pat living so far from Tokyo that it takes an airplane flight to get there. You can imagine my delight and surprise to find Kua'aina Burger, a Hawaiian chain (previously unknown to me), in the heart of Tokyo. Not only was the burger big and juicy, it also came with avocado and there was a bottle of Heinz ketchup on the table! The burger certainly did not disappoint, and I found myself eating at the chain on subsequent trips to Tokyo.