Deconstructing Eating Models in Contemporary Japan: Between Hōshoku, Food Literacy and Sustainable Practices

This thesis examines sustainability, food education, and cultural heritage through the case of the Gastronomy Management program at Ritsumeikan University in Kyōto. In recent decades, globalisation, urban expansion, and changing patterns of daily life have reshaped Japan’s relationship with food. These transformations have been exacerbated by the spread of convenience-oriented consumption, reflecting a society marked by time scarcity, new labour structures, and growing individualisation. Scholars describe this shift through the notion of hōshoku (崩食), the “collapse” of traditional dietary models. In response, governmental and civil actors have promoted alternative frameworks, such as Shokuiku (食育) and the growing Slow Food movement. At the core of these initiatives lies the concept of food literacy and its transformative impact on consumers’ approach towards responsible consumption. In this context, the Ritsumeikan case provides a valuable example of how university-level education seeks to address these challenges. The thesis’ objective is to portray contemporary Japanese dietary patterns and to analyse how the Gastronomy Management program integrates cultural, historical, scientific, and economic perspectives on food. The study adopts a mixed approach. A qualitative analysis, based on document review of the program’s English and Japanese online materials and a semi-structured interview with the faculty director Masayoshi Ishida, aiming to explore how sustainability is framed institutionally. A quantitative analysis, conducted through the administration of an online survey – distributed to Gastronomy Management course students – allow to deep dive into their perspectives on sustainable food systems and their everyday eating practices. The findings reveal that while students demonstrate a high level of food literacy and strong sustainability awareness, they continue to experience a significant gap between their knowledge and their daily eating practices. Time constraints, economic limitations, and university life emerge as key factors limiting the practical translation of sustainability-oriented values. The study therefore suggests that higher education plays a crucial role in shaping food awareness and professional identities, yet educational exposure alone is insufficient to transform practices without supportive structural conditions. By doing so, the thesis contributes to ongoing debates on sustainable food system by highlighting the relationship between food knowledge and everyday material constraints.