Pizza is NOT the Same

In Tokyo and hungry for pizza?  Well, you're pretty much screwed.  Unless you want to take the risk of ordering from Pizza La (Pizza RA in Japanese pronounciation) or the Japanese version of Dominos you have only one choice for vaguely American style pizza at a reasonable rate.  Shakeys.  Made nationally famous by the "Kenny Dies" episode of South Park this small American chain has expanded world wide, they offer a lunch buffet (or Biew-fay in Japanese pronunciation, also Bikingu or Viking style) for about 10 bucks, but you still probably won't get what you're expecting.

When's the last time you went to your local pizzeria and asked for a Maguro (tuna) and Corn with mayonnaise sauce?  Or maybe you're in the mood for Pizza La's signature Hokkaido Crab and Gratin Pizza,  gratin being a sour cream/cream cheese tasting mixture.  As Ace Ventura would sarcastically say "Yummmay"  Also of note is the Teriyaki Chicken pizza, which replaces the standard tomato sauce with teriyaki and worchestershire sauce and slathers the whole thing in Mayo.

Ordering from a big company like Dominos or Pizza La will cost you upwards of 25 bucks for a medium, with some specialty pizzas going up to 50 dollars for a large.  

Mayonnaise, mayonnaise based sauce, gratin pizza, cookie and marshmallow pizza all appear on the Shakey's menu...  but not to be found are classic favorites like Pepperoni, Italian Sausage, or Jalapeno peppers.  If you ask for a Hawaiian Pizza, you'll get a strange look as well... Pineapple and Ham on pizza?  Apparently that is one of the few TRULY WEIRD combinations!