The Characteristics of Hyogo Prefecture’s Local Dishes and Efforts to Pass Them on in School Lunch Based on Interview Surveys of “Japanese Home Cooking to be Passed on to the Next Generation”

Abstract

The topography of Hyogo Prefecture is diverse with mountains, basins, plains, coasts, and islands; therefore, this region is called the "miniature version of Japan." Historically, Hyogo consisted of five provinces (Settsu, Tanba, Harima, Tajima, and Awaji). Hyogo Prefecture's food culture has developed in a variety of ways, taking advantage of the marine products from the Sea of Japan and the Seto Inland Sea and the abundance of food products from the mountains and villages. Preserving and promoting on this diverse and rich food culture is important. Therefore, we aimed at investigating the potential of school lunch in preserving and transmitting the traditional home-style cooking and local cuisine. We investigated how home-style cooking and local cuisine, which utilize local products, could be incorporated into school lunch menus. The findings indicated that local dishes are served in school lunch programs with certain adjustments to cater to children's preferences. The challenge in incorporating local cuisine into school lunches was the exorbitant cost; however, providing local cuisine presents a good opportunity to communicate our food culture and promote local production for local consumption.