Eating Japanese

Consuming Identities: Contemporary Japanese Foodways in a Global Locale Micah David James Peters Thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Discipline of Anthropology School of Social Sciences University of Adelaide Contents Contents i Synopsis iv Declaration v Acknowledgements vi Chapter 1: Food and Identity in the Global Locale 1 A Man is Whatever Room He is in: Contextual Identities in Process 4 Rooms Within Rooms: Food and Identity in the Global Context 12 Where in the World?: Locating the Locale 15 Inquisitive Observation and Methodology 17 Chapter 2: Common Foodways and Everyday Identities 25 Managing Home and Identity with Food 27 Consumption Practices Within the Home and Food Provision Roles 34 Food and Eating Outside the Home 42 Round-the-Clock Convenience 49 Conclusion 56 Chapter 3: Locally Grown Identities 59 Local Families Local Foods 60 Food from Nature 67 Foods from the Fields 74 Vegetable Connections 82 Eating Local 85 Conclusion 89 Chapter 4: Being Japanese: Eating Japanese 91 National Cuisine 93 Consuming the Past: Traditional Dining in Contemporary Japan 97 Endorsing a National Cuisine 108 Everyday Culinary Nationalism 116 Cooking the Image of Japan 125 Conclusion 134 i Chapter 5: Global Goods: The International and Everyday Life 137 Sweet Globalisation 143 Blurring and Defining the Boundaries 150 An Instance of Incorporation 161 Conclusion 162 Chapter 6: Food Safety and Risk 164 Dubious Origins and Guests Bearing Unwanted Gifts 165 Co-oping with Mistrust 179 Domestic Concerns: Problems at Home 182 Conclusion 185 Chapter 7: Constantly Consuming Identities 186 Reference List 201 Cover Image: Micah Peters 2008 ii iii Synopsis This thesis is the outcome of 12 months of fieldwork undertaken in a semi-rural community in Osaka, a major city in Western Japan, and examines how food and foodways are central to the articulation and maintenance of Japanese identity. My objective is to show how my informants understand and represent themselves and where they are in the world with food. A predominant theme is how local and regional foodways contribute to a sense of distinctive local identity. At the same time, I also seek to demonstrate the place of imported foods and international cuisines in everyday life. In this thesis I propose that ‘traditional’ cultural identity and contemporary globalised cosmopolitanism are mutually constitutive in that Japanese foodways reflect both a desire to maintain the distinction of local and national identity as well as the incorporation of the transnational. The Japanese appreciate the diversity of foreign influences and ingredients within everyday life but also value what are widely considered to be timeless and authentic representations of Japan. I argue that mundane everyday food habits demonstrate how Japanese identities are shifting products of peoples’ experiences of the global and the local world. iv Declaration This work contains no material which has been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma in any university or other tertiary institution to Micah David James Peters and, to the best of my knowledge and belief, contains no material previously published or written by another person, except where due reference has been made in the text. I give consent to this copy of my thesis, when deposited in the University Library, being made available for loan and photocopying, subject to the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. I also give permission for the digital ver- sion of my thesis to be made available on the web, via the University’s digital research repository, the Library catalogue, the Australasian Digital Theses Program (ADTP) and also through web search engines, unless permission has been granted by the University to restrict access for a period of time. Micah Peters v Acknowledgements and Dedications Acknowledgements are due to the many individuals and families in Osaka who generously offered their time and knowledge to assist me during my fieldwork. These families allowed me into their homes and lives and tolerated my relentless inquisitiveness with friendliness and good humour. My biggest debts of gratitude go to the Aki family, the Sasagawas, the Kubos and the Onoes, whom introduced me to the majority of my informant networks and whom also aided me in many aspects of my work. Great thanks go to Ayaka, Reiko and Atsushi who assisted with translation. Sincere gratitude goes to Timothy Paull for proof-reading assistance. Gavin, Mariko, Gideon, Katsushi and Victoria also dedicated a great deal of time and advice throughout my work. Thanks to them also. From Osaka University, I would like to extend my gratitude to Associate Professor Beverley Yamamoto and Professor Satoshi Nakagawa from the Graduate School of Human Sciences for their time, help and guidance. At The University of Adelaide, my sincere appreciation is due to my supervisory team Associate Professor Adrian Peace, Dr Alison Dundon and formerly Dr Megan Warin. Thank you for abiding my continual disappearances. Your advice and encouragement were always invaluable. Thanks also go to the Anthropology Department at The University of Adelaide, which are especially heartfelt toward Ms Sharon Lewis; now you are finally rid of me and I will never know how to get the photocopier working. I am very grateful to Dr Rodney Lucas and Professor John Gray, from the Anthropology Department of Adelaide University for having me teach in their courses throughout me writing-up my thesis. To my parents, Christina and Dr Mark Peters and the rest of my family; Madeline, Marion, Helen and Alex, your love, support and encouragement was greatly appreciated. This thesis is dedicated to my mother. This is the Ph.D. you began. vi vii 1: Food and Identity in the Global Locale Chapter 1: Food and Identity in the Global Locale This thesis is an ethnographic investigation of the everyday food habits of people living in Senri Yama1, a semirural community on the periphery of Osaka city in Japan. Food is fundamental to Japanese identities and in this thesis I contend that food is a valuable avenue of inquiry into how people understand themselves as ‘being Japanese’. I argue that my informants understand and represent where and who they are in the world with and through food. While on the surface a contradiction generally seems to exist regarding the binary relationship between ‘traditional’ cultural identity and contemporary globalised cosmopolitanism, I argue that they are mutually constitutive. In this thesis I explore the dialectics of how foodways in Senri Yama reflect both a desire to maintain the distinctiveness of ‘local identity’ as well as a desire to incorporate aspects of the wider world. Food consumption reflects how people value ‘cosmopolitan’ identities as well as identities perceived to be ‘traditional’ and historically legitimate or ‘authentic’. People appreciate the diversity of international influences and ingredients within everyday life while also valuing what they consider timeless and authentic representations and experiences of Japan. In short, in this thesis I explore how mundane everyday food habits demonstrate and embody how Japanese identities are shifting products of peoples’ experiences of the global and the local world. I use ‘foodways’ to refer to peoples’ elementary habits of food production, procurement, preparation, presentation and consumption (Harris, Lyon and McLaughlin, 2005; Lévi-Strauss, 1983). The study of foodways also goes beyond these basic involvements with food and can incorporate taste, nutrition, economics, 1 In accordance with the research ethics agreement designed at the outset of my fieldwork, I use pseudonyms throughout this thesis to refer to many places, businesses and people. 1 1: Food and Identity in the Global Locale advertising, social, international and global relations, politics, culture, history and environment (see Bestor, 2001; Douglas, 1997; Goody, 1982; Mintz and DuBois, 2002). Foodways offer insight into how people understand themselves, their experiences, others and the world. As such, food is central to personal as well as socio-cultural identities (Cook and Crang, 1996; Fischler, 1988). Food and eating are routine aspects of peoples’ everyday lives so that people do not constantly reflect upon their deeper meanings. Significant meanings are, however, discernible through inquiry into peoples’ ordinary involvements with food and this is what I examine in this thesis. I frequently utilise the terms ‘cosmopolitan’, ‘authentic’ and ‘traditional’ to describe many of the activities and foods in which the people I study are involved. Before proceeding I would like to define exactly what I mean by these terms. Cosmopolitanism refers to peoples’ increasing tendency to explore, be open to, and knowledgeable about new and previously unavailable or international goods and experiences (Hannerz, 1990:239). This is especially evident in the study of foodways in Japan where in previous decades people did not have easy access to imported ingredients, cuisines and information about international foodways. In Senri Yama today the international world and its influence is all but inescapable and, correspondingly, today’s average resident of Senri Yama can be ‘worldly’ without having left the city. ‘Tradition’ and ‘authenticity’ are two related and, as I use them, interchangeable terms that also arise in this thesis. I consider both terms as values that people ascribe to both objects and practices in order to confer legitimacy. In this manner, tradition and authenticity

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