ulgarian Yogurt Traditions: Changesand Interpretations inPost-socialist Reality

摘要

In Japan, when I introduce myself by saying I am from Bulgaria, yogurt always rises as a topic of conversation. In fact, in Japan one cannot help speaking about Bulgaria without mentioning Bulgarian yogurt. It is the creation of ‘Meiji Bulgaria Yogurt’, Japan’s top brand of plain yogurt, which underlies this firm association between yogurt and Bulgaria in Japan. The emphasis on its Bulgarian story of origin has not only become a key to the brand’s success, but has also created an image of Bulgaria as a country with beautiful pastoral scenery, a long tradition in home dairy production.