My abuela once told me that I should have been born Mexican. I’m not sure what a Mexican person would think of my zealous consumption of their cuisine — whether my obsessiveness would elicit approval or disgust — but it wouldn’t stop me from guzzling salsa and cramming bucketfuls of juicy shredded meat down my throat.
It’s the hardship I’m most aware of living in Japan — the lack of Mexican food. My tongue weeps for the tingle of spicy salsa, and my stomach roils with unfulfilled desire. As I consume my tuna and mayo onigiri, I remember the once weekly cilantro-doused burritos of my past and stifle a sob.
So it took approximately 3 seconds after being sent this link to change my plans for the day and head to Odaiba.
Mexicans! Real live Mexicans! My joy burst from me like candy from a pinata. Within minutes of arrival, a Mexican man overheard BJ and I exclaiming over everything and called to us. “It’s amazing right? I’m fucking Mexican and I haven’t eaten Mexican food in months. What am I doing in this country??” Moments later, he fed Japanese staff members shots of tequila before flipping them over his shoulder.
The festival took place alongside a mall, which also housed a main stage. There, university students in brightly colored traditional outfits sang and danced, drank water from a leather pouch (which was much more impressive than it sounds), and had a mock bullfight with a midget carrying bull horns.
I’m not even kidding.
After the university students’ show, a mariachi band played. They were somber in their matching tan suits with their giant sombreros, but the crowd was lively, whooping and shouting and swaying to the music, until, during the last song, one of the mariachis pronounced it dance time and a swarm of middle aged latinas stormed the performance area and danced with abandon. BJ and I pushed through the crowd to the front and shimmied and swung our hips and laughed and whooped along with the music until we sweat.
And did I mention the food?
Meaty and fragrant and deliciously seasoned. Viva Mexico!
