[O-05] Geology and culture of the active plate margin

[O05-01] Concept of geo-gastotronomy for Seouchi-Anuki Geopark Project

★Invited Papers

*SHUICHI HASEGAWA¹ (1.Kagawa University)

Keywords:geopark, gastronomy, Sanuki Plain, Seto Inland See

The Sanuki Geopark Promotion Preparatory Committee (Chairman: Shuichi Hasegawa) is engaged in activities aimed at obtaining UNESCO Global Geopark certification for the entire Kagawa Prefecture, focusing on the connection between local food culture and the formation of the land through geogastronomy tourism. Geogastronomy tourism emphasizes that the unique food culture of a region originates from the geological formation of that area, providing an intellectual experience that deeply connects gourmet food and stunning scenery from a geological perspective. This initiative also aims to foster the identity of local residents and their attachment to the region. In the fiscal year 2023, the Kagawa Prefectural Tourism Association applied for the "Regional Integrated Gastronomy Tourism Promotion Project" from the Japan Tourism Agency, and the project "Promoting the Unique Setouchi Sanuki Geogastronomy Tourism that Marries the Blessings of Marine and Terrestrial Resources from Earth’s Great Changes (Geo)" was selected. Among the 13 selected projects, this is the only one with a geological perspective. This project established the "Setouchi Sanuki Geogastronomy Tourism Research Group," composed of primary producers from agriculture, forestry, and fisheries, restaurants, inns, hotels, transportation businesses, research institutions, and government agencies, with Kagawa University, the Geo-Live Research Institute, and Anabuki Travel as core members, conducting resource and human resource surveys, guide training courses, model tour development, and geogourmet presentations. The geological resources and food of Setouchi Sanuki's geogastronomy can be summarized as follows: 1) 100 million years ago: Large-scale magma activity that created granite, leading to landslides from weathered granite (masa) and the cultivation of bonsai and olives in the rugged alluvial fan areas; white sandy beaches and tidal flats; salt fields; and soy sauce production, with granite core stones used in the stone walls of Osaka Castle, transitioning from the introduction of soy to soy sauce production. 2) 14 million years ago: Volcanic activity in the Seto Inland Sea immediately after its expansion and subsequent erosion, resulting in the scenic beauty of places like Kankakei, Yashima, and Iinoyama; cultivation of citrus fruits, peaches, and kiwis on the slopes; the stone culture from the Paleolithic era, including Sanukite, which is the origin of Sanuki's food culture; the formation and uplift of granite underground in the Shikoku Mountains; and the low rainfall of the Seto Inland climate zone. 3) After 3 million years ago: Right-lateral fault movement of the Median Tectonic Line, leading to the eastward flow of the Yoshino River, the uplift of the Sanuki Mountains, and the creation of a further arid alluvial fan with poor water retention, resulting in pond culture; wheat production as a secondary crop; milling with waterwheels; groundwater in the alluvial fan; and Sanuki udon.