I bet Japanese eat more Baumkuchen than German people.
If I remember correctly, a POW started the German cake shop in Kobe after the war.
But being in Japan, I was fed with most wonderfull cakes (when I started baking for them(most appreciated!), because it was my birthday), new creations and much better than first german inspirations, which made them very happy to hear from me (and why should I not say so, if its true?*). I got them for breakfast for example for a while from a nightshifting policeman. In fact, that one was a real friend and helper and showed me around everything of interest there.
* I happen to know the old asian tradition, coming via China, that this is an honour for the inspirator, or teacher, if used for further development, and for an artist, this makes a lot of (common) sense and meets my own thinking.
A kind of sweet competiiton amongst friends, so to say and thats always fine with me.
I can only hope, that we treat Japanese the same way in Germany. Anyhow, if I meet some Japanese, obviously searching for places, I often make friends immediately, trying to pay back all the friendlyness, that I got in their own country. So far, I also got nice new aspects about us here or surprising coincidences, like this one:
When I invited some such searching "tourists" to a japanese art-teacher, who then happened to be a friend of a friend of my guests in Japan. . .guess the joy on all sides then!
Its fun, seeing things through other eyes than only the own ones, although there are naturally limits, on all sides. . .
For others:
Also thanks for the other links, hat was that film about exactly, also Bando?(I suppose so)
Sorry, my japanese is simply not good enough.
And a special cake;-):
Thanks hanchan, you do a very fine job!!