This study is part of a series that aims to reveal cultural changes in the dietary habits of Japanese farmers during the Showa era (1926-1988). In 2002, I interviewed thirteen female residents of Kawahake, which is part of Kawakami Village in the Nagano Prefecture. I asked these women how the use of dining tables, cooking appliances, ceremonial meals, and snacks has changed in the village since 1941. I learned that, by 1960, most homes had replaced their hearths with stoves, and had running water in their kitchens. In addition, from 1965 onward, the practice of luxurious ceremonial occasions accelerated as residents enjoyed increased agricultural income due to vegetable cultivation. As a result, the Improvement of Living movement developed in Kawahake around 1975, which simplified ceremonial occasions. The same year, improved dietary education and an increase in health examinations led to greater public concern regarding excessive sugar and salt intake; this, in turn, influenced the content of snacks. Overall, this study found the Improvement of Living movement and increased public health consciousness were the two main factors that changed Kawahake dietary culture during the Showa era
