The future of Japanese food would be developed successfully when its value to improve health and contribute to reduction the load of the global environment is proven. However, the worth isn’t limited within those. It has an emotional value works as a medium which connects communication between people, and it is important that we keep improving the values.

The world has already recognized the value of Japan food culture when United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization U.N.E.S.C.O.）registered it as “Japanese food: the traditional Japanese food culture “on UNESCO intangible cultural heritage on December 4th, 2013. (1) Respect for various and fresh foodstuffs and its characteristics, (2) healthy eating habits with rich in nutrition balance, (3) expression of nature beauty and change of seasons, (4) close connection to annual events such as the New Year occasion—referred in it.

It is said that one of the most popular foreign food is Japanese food in the leading Asian countries, China, Hong Kong and Korea, as well as the West, America, France and Italy. Especially, among Japanese food, Sushi, Sashimi (sliced raw fish), Yakitori (grilled chicken skewered on a bamboo stick) and Tempura have the favorable reputation regardless country/region. In the Asian areas Ramen is recognized as “Japanese style” that Japanese think as national food. Curry and rice have a good reputation as “Japanese style”.

Japanese food has obtained its history that the change of Japanese taste has coped with interaction of nature and history and the try to fit with food culture of other areas and foreign countries by progress of transportation and preservation. Authentic Japanese food has attained its evolution with the times. Not only authentic Japanese food in the category Washoku (Japanese food), but also Japanese food style which had been accepting and evolving foreign food culture represented as national food in Japan have the value to be spread to the world.

Original website / Language・Japanese
beyond2020特集：「日本の食」磨き世界で開花