Japan Geoscience Union Meeting 2019

Presentation information

[J] Poster

H (Human Geosciences ) » H-GG Geography

[H-GG02] Use, change, management of natural resources and environment: Interdisciplinary perspectives

Sun. May 26, 2019 5:15 PM - 6:30 PM Poster Hall (International Exhibition Hall8, Makuhari Messe)

convener:Yoshinori OTSUKI(Institute of Geography, Graduate School of Science, Tohoku University), Gen Ueda(Graduate School of Social Sciences, Hitotsubashi University), Takahisa Furuichi(Graduate School of Science, Hokkaido University), Toru Sasaki(Miyagi University of Education)

[HGG02-P02] Social Foundations of Entomophagy and Its Transformation: A Case Study of Ina City, Nagano Prefecture

*Naoki Kobayashi1 (1.National University Corporation Kanazawa University)

Keywords:Entomophagy, Food culture

For its nutritional value and so on, insect is receiving attention as a new food resource around the world now. There is food security issues behind the growing interest in Entomophagy. The culture of Entomophagy still survive in a few areas at the present, however, many people in the whole country had the habit of eating insect in the old days in Japan. The author researched a specific example of Entomophagy held in Ina city, Nagano prefecture and analyzed it with regard to the relationship between Entomophagy and local communities. The findings are described as follows.

The research revealed that many people have the habit of eating insect at the present in study area. Also, they recognize insect is the local food and Entomophagy is local food culture of Ina. However, Entomophagy is less popular nowadays especially in the young generation. Furthermore, the method for obtaining insect has changed. There are changing tendency of working patterns, aging and decrease of population behind the change of Entomophagy in the study area.

Paying attention to the relationship between Entomophagy and local communities, people concerned about Entomophagy is different by each insect. Many people hunted, cooked and ate insects which can hunt easily on their own self. However, a few people hunt insects, which need skills or specialized tools to hunt, and to share with other residents or to sell wholesale to retail store. Furthermore, the difference of supplier and attribute of subjects, management of insect resource is different by each insects. In summary, it can be said that the way of relationship between Entomophagy and local people is different among each insect. Also the shape of Entomophagy has been changing in various contexts or perspectives as time goes on.

The research revealed that some changes occurred in Entomophagy of Ina.

The changes are about,

1) The amount of insect and insect products which from other cities are increasing.

2) In part of distribution, the role of retail store is getting bigger.

3) The number of people eating insect and the demand of each insect is decreasing.

Furthermore, the changes occurred to the people concerned about Entomophagy. These changes are connecting to the decreasing insects and people who hunt insect.

Today, it can be said that the culture of Entomophagy has been succeeded. But thinking the risk of Entomophagy in Ina region, such as the decrease of demand of insects or the unstainable supply of insect resources from other regions, the solutions to these problems are required. When it comes to attempting these problems, individual plans fitting each insect are needed, because the supply network of them and their stakeholder in the region are different to each other.