Originally Posted by Pickles

Let me give you the counter-argument. I don't (willingly) eat sushi outside of Japan. Can you find good sushi outside of Japan? Yes, but (a) it's hard to find, (b) inconsistent, and (c) much more expensive than the equivalent quality in Japan. So why bother setting myself up for disappointment at some highly-rated place in, say, New York, paying through the nose, for something that, at best, equals what you can find in Japan?

The same goes for Chinese food in Japan. I happen to love Chef Ken Kenichi's mabodofu, as a number of contributors to this forum can attest. Is it tasty? Absolutely. Is it "Chinese" food? I guess you could say. Is it something you'd find in China? Yes, but not in the same way. And lastly, can you find better in China? Yes, there is no question. And, would I go out of my way to seek it as a visitor to Japan? Absolutely not.