Found this book as looking for something that could introduce me to the Japanese culture, and knowing know what I didn't knew at the start I think it did a great job. I liked very much how the food and drink are described, the serving, the eating and it's texture. Showing the importance that food deserves. Though I read the book very slowly (4 months!) I enjoyed that pace and the pace of how the story os presented. I found the evolution of all the characters very interesting.