Japanese ship curry and crew identity

Individual Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force ships have their own curry flavorings, and crews are fiercely loyal to them. Asking which ship makes the best curry can therefore start an argument between sailors. Alex Clarke recalls deliberately raising the question near Japanese naval bases with English-speaking crews. At a joint base, American sailors immediately recognized the debate he had set off among Japanese chief petty officers. A ship's distinctive meal becomes a focus for crew loyalty and rivalry.