Status of Sushi Consumption and Preferences for Sushi Rice

Abstract

Recent reports indicate difficulties in passing on ceremonial, traditional, or local speciality foods to young people. In order to share these foods with younger generations, it may be necessary to examine the differences in preferences among generations and living areas, and to identify the challenges involved in the transfer of regional cuisines from one generation to the next. This study examined the attitudes and behaviour of Japanese people towards the consumption of sushi (hayazushi), which has been passed down through generations as a ceremonial dish, traditional cuisine, and local speciality food. It also compared sushi rice preferences among different generations and living areas. Research showed that the most frequent type of sushi consumed is ‘hand-shaped sushi', regardless of the generation. The most common method of consuming sushi among the younger generations is ‘going to conveyor belt sushi restaurants'. The study also revealed that the younger as well as the older generation consume sushi as part of their daily meals, and preferences for sushi rice vary among generations and living areas. This study emphasises the necessity of conveying the cultural history of local cuisines to the younger generations and of making regional cuisines more appealing by adopting certain changes—in light of shifts in preferences for sushi—that preserve the original characteristics of traditional cuisine, such as a change in the seasoning process.