Understanding the Significance of Food and Japanese Cuisine Through Connections and Facts

This series examines the current state and future potential of Japan Brand (including inbound tourism, Japanese food, and Japanese products) by looking at the latest data from Dentsu Inc.'s proprietary "Japan Brand Survey" ( overview here ), which targets middle-to-high-income foreigners living overseas. This installment focuses on "Food."

The Unfathomable Connection Between Food and Knowledge

Three meals a day. Within this routine, so commonplace it's almost second nature, lie countless grand, untold stories. Over 2,400 years ago, the emergence of the Hundred Schools of Thought in ancient China cannot be discussed without acknowledging the existence of the "shokaku" (guests of the ruling class).These "guests" resided in the mansions of powerful figures across the land. As the four-character idiom "three thousand guests" suggests, influential individuals reportedly competed over the number of such guests they hosted. In exchange for providing food, clothing, and shelter, they expected these guests to serve as advisors or helpers in times of need. Interpreted today, this resembles a diverse, inclusive job-based organization.

As the saying "When food and clothing are sufficient, one knows propriety" suggests, only after the basic necessity of food is secured can individuals truly engage with their inner selves and talents, allowing them to blossom fully. This flowering of knowledge occurred not only in China but also in India, ancient Orient (including Persia), and Greece, almost simultaneously.From the 8th to the 3rd century BCE, India saw the birth of Gautama Siddhartha, the founder of Buddhism. In Persia, Zoroastrianism—considered the world's oldest monotheistic religion, founded by Zoroaster—spread widely. It is believed to have later influenced Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.Meanwhile, in ancient Greece, which laid the foundation for today's Western civilization, numerous intellectual giants emerged from Mediterranean civilization, led by the three great philosophers (Socrates, Plato, Aristotle) who built the unshakable foundations of philosophy.

It was in 1949 that Karl Jaspers first proposed defining this era of "contingent proliferation of knowledge," a time of dazzling intellectual diversity, as the "Axial Age" (※1), a pivotal period in world history. The widespread use of iron spurred the development of agriculture. Advances in farming produced sufficient food, which in turn gave birth to diverse forms of knowledge.The Chinese character for "food" (食) combines the characters for "person" (人) and "good" (良). This signifies nourishing people and enriching the world—an essence of food that remains unchanged throughout history.

※1=Axial Age: The era when the foundational ideas shaping humanity's spiritual landscape emerged. The concept of the Axial Age was proposed by German philosopher and psychiatrist Karl Jaspers.

Off the eastern edge of the Eurasian continent

The sources of knowledge that erupted across the world slowly flowed over time into their respective surrounding regions. Off the eastern edge of the Eurasian continent, Japan transitioned from the Yayoi period to the Kofun period. Chinese Confucianism and Indian Buddhism were transmitted via Baekje (Kudara), eventually taking deep root in Japanese society.Approximately 1,300 years after the introduction of Confucianism and Buddhism, Japan, having swiftly succeeded in modernization by embracing Western civilization, developed an unparalleled "accumulative style" of integrating and coexisting with cultures from all eras and regions, achieving a unique evolution. Those who can relativize multiple cultures, customs, and values are likely to find comfort in the appeal of this Japanese accumulative style.

The same holds true for the theme of this article: food. For instance, the ease of finding high-quality, relatively affordable multinational or fusion cuisine within walking distance is also a product of this layered style. Being able to savor the diversity of food readily available nearby, without incurring high financial or time costs, is a truly valuable experience.

Furthermore, Japanese cuisine (washoku), which has enjoyed a long-standing international boom, is a prime example beautifully expressing this layered worldview. Exactly ten years ago, washoku was inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list (Washoku; Traditional Japanese Cuisine, 2013).The characteristics of Washoku include: "① Respect for diverse, fresh ingredients and their inherent flavors; ② Nutritional balance supporting a healthy diet; ③ Expression of natural beauty and seasonal transitions; ④ Close connection to annual events like New Year's" (※2). In other words, it embodies a distinctly Japanese concept: seeking not merely taste, but also considering multifaceted elements surrounding food to achieve a higher level of harmony.

※2 The four characteristics of Washoku are quoted from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries' food culture portal site. Source: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries "Washoku" Registered as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage
https://www.maff.go.jp/j/keikaku/syokubunka/ich/index.html

Incidentally, simply referring to "Japanese food" in general terms makes it difficult to grasp the true nature of the boom without examining it by genre or specific items. The Dentsu Inc. Japan Brand Survey conducted large-scale research separately on Japanese cuisine (9 categories, 42 types) and Japanese ingredients (9 categories, 54 items). Based on these results, we explored the reality of the Japanese food boom.

Global Products in "Japanese Cuisine" and "Japanese Ingredients"

First, let's briefly grasp the trends in popular Japanese cuisine.

Ranking within the top 10 for all three indicators of "Awareness, Consumption Experience, and Consumption Intention" for Japanese cuisine were: "High-end Sushi," "Ramen," "Tempura," "Ebi Fry (Deep-fried Shrimp)," "Onigiri (Rice Balls)," "Tofu," "Miso Soup," "Sashimi," "Karaage (Deep-fried Chicken)," and "Udon." All of these can be considered globally recognized Japanese dishes.

Furthermore, when viewed from the perspective of Japan visit experience, among repeat visitors (those who have visited Japan 3 or more times), the consumption rates of "gyudon," "tonkatsu," and "unagi" show a noticeable increase. Particularly for unagi consumption, the rate among repeat visitors (30.3%) is over 20 percentage points higher than among those who have never visited Japan (8.0%), and significantly exceeds the overall average (17.3%).Although not ranking within the top 10, similar trends were observed for sukiyaki and kaiseki cuisine.

Next, we'll explore the image of Japanese ingredients from an overseas perspective and examine Japanese ingredients that can be considered global products, drawing on a small selection from the vast survey data on Japanese ingredients.

Safe, high-quality, delicious... Do overseas consumers share the image Japanese people have of ingredients made in Japan? When looking at the global picture, we want you to remember "Delicious, Fresh, High Quality" as the most important keywords. These three attributes stand out significantly above others, ranking at the top. It's no exaggeration to say they represent the highest possible level of image evaluation for ingredients.

However, looking at individual regions, the variation in perception is significant. While Southeast Asia and Europe/America/Australia show relatively strong perceptions of the aforementioned "Beauty, Freshness, Quality," East Asia shows a generally flat profile, suggesting no outstanding image stands out.

Since the 2010s, the number of Japanese restaurants overseas has surged dramatically. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries survey "Number of Japanese Restaurants Overseas (※Figure 4)," the number of Japanese restaurants in 2023 (approximately 187,000) increased by about 3.4 times compared to 2013 (approximately 55,000).Breaking this down reveals that approximately 57% of Japanese cuisine establishments are concentrated in East Asia. In other words, compared to Europe, America, Australia, and Southeast Asia, consumers in East Asia have more frequent, accessible opportunities to experience Japanese cuisine. This likely fosters a more multifaceted understanding of Japanese cuisine, leading to a diversification and broadening of its image.While East Asia is a leading region for Japanese cuisine, it is also viewed as a highly VUCA society where fierce competition is rampant. In this sense, striking a balance between three elements becomes imperative: Japanese identity, the sense of self derived from that identity, and survival of the fittest.

In the Europe, America, and Australia markets, data reveals that "beef (Wagyu)" and "sake" are popular Japanese ingredients, and "soy sauce" is also extremely popular. In all metrics, Australia and European countries significantly exceed the global average.

Thus, while some Japanese ingredients are universally favored across regions, there are also distinct popular items unique to each market. Globally, the top five items across all three indicators—awareness, consumption/purchase experience, and consumption/purchase intent—are "Japanese sake," "beef (Wagyu)," "soy sauce," "matcha," and "miso." These can be considered global products within the food ingredient category.

Understanding umami varies from person to person

This article concludes with a look at "umami," one of the great Japanese assets discovered by our predecessors.

Umami is one of the five basic tastes and an indispensable element when discussing Japanese cuisine. Discovered over a century ago, umami has now become a common noun known worldwide in its original Japanese form, adopted into English (as well as French, German, Italian, etc.).

However, umami is not as universally understood or easily recognizable as tastes like sweetness, sourness, saltiness, or bitterness. Based on the hypothesis that the concept of umami and its relationship to food are not necessarily perceived the same way as by Japanese people, Dentsu Inc. Japan Brand Research investigated the level of understanding of umami by country and region.

Overall, about 40% of respondents knew that "umami is one of the five basic tastes alongside sweetness, sourness, saltiness, and bitterness" and that "it significantly contributes to the deliciousness of food." However, when broken down by country and region, the percentage ranged from as low as 20-30% in some countries to over 50% in others, showing significant variation. Surprisingly, nearly 20% of respondents overall were completely unaware of umami itself.In Canada, the UK, and France, this proportion exceeds 40%.

Furthermore, an analysis of how much variation exists in the understanding of which cuisine genres contain the most umami across countries yielded interesting results.

In China (1st in Japanese restaurant count) and South Korea (3rd in Japanese restaurant count), an overwhelming majority of respondents believe their own cuisine is the richest in umami.In India, a member of the Global South receiving significant attention, French cuisine and Japanese cuisine are ranked almost equally as umami-rich cuisines. Slightly below these two genres are Korean cuisine, Chinese cuisine, and Italian cuisine, indicating that Japanese cuisine's dominance in umami is not particularly outstanding.

Food requires pairing with peripheral elements and storytelling as essential requirements

In recent years, tourism themes have diversified and fragmented, leading to the development of various forms like adventure tourism, sustainable tourism, and gastronomic tourism. Among these, gastronomic tourism has the highest participation intent globally, excluding the United States.Furthermore, according to a Japan Tourism Agency survey, spending in the food and beverage category accounts for over 20% of total spending (※3). This survey also revealed that food is a category where people are willing to spend money actively.

※3 Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Japan Tourism Agency: Survey on Consumption Trends of Inbound Foreign Visitors <January-March 2023, April-June 2023, July-September 2023 (Preliminary Figures), Full Year 2019 (Final Figures)>
https://www.mlit.go.jp/kankocho/siryou/toukei/syouhityousa.html

Furthermore, 7 out of 10 respondents stated that "they prefer to savor dishes after learning about the underlying knowledge such as ingredients, tableware, and cooking methods," and that "understanding the history and brand story of products or companies definitely increases their desire to purchase."In other words, it is appropriate to view food initiatives not merely as the act of eating, but as an integrated whole involving the development of peripheral fields such as crafts, fine arts, art, spatial design, history, culture, and philosophy (holistic experience design). These peripheral fields should no longer be considered "nice to have," but rather "essential."

As already indicated in the latest Basic Plan for Promoting Tourism, inbound tourism is a broad-based industry that not only generates foreign exchange but also significantly contributes to international mutual understanding and peace as a strategic field (※4). Meanwhile, "food that enriches people and the world" is a category highly compatible with both inbound tourism and overseas exports.Just as food and knowledge have been profoundly interconnected throughout history, supporting global civilization and societal progress, they will undoubtedly continue to play an unchanging positive role in the future.

※4 Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Japan Tourism Agency: "Outline of the Basic Plan for the Promotion of Tourism Nation (4th)"
https://www.mlit.go.jp/kankocho/kankorikkoku/kihonkeikaku.html

In practical business operations, whether refining gastronomic tourism or promoting exports of Japanese ingredients and cuisine, it will be increasingly essential not only to enhance the resolution of "Japanese food" as understood by foreign consumers but also to develop diverse pairings with related fields and storytelling that conveys a depth of experience unavailable elsewhere.

*Country and region names in this article are written with Japanese domestic readers in mind, following Japanese social norms and business customs.

【Contact for Inquiries Regarding This Matter】
Dentsu Inc. Japan Brand Project Team
japanbrand@dentsu.co.jp

Japan Brand Survey Hub Page
https://www.dentsu.co.jp/knowledge/japan_brand/

【About the Dentsu Inc. Japan Brand Survey】
Dentsu Inc.'s proprietary survey launched in 2011 to understand how the Japan Brand was perceived globally when reputational damage affected Japanese agricultural and marine products and inbound tourism following the Great East Japan Earthquake. In 2022, it evolved into a cross-company project activity with enhanced expertise through a fundamental restructuring of its survey design, analytical approach, and outputs.In 2025, it will newly plan and build a knowledge portfolio for the general public, aiming to create social value grounded in consumer insights.
The Japan Brand Survey regularly gauges the awareness and actual attitudes of overseas consumers regarding the Japan Brand as a whole, covering areas such as inbound tourism, regional revitalization, food, Japanese products, content, values, lifestyles, and social trends. It visualizes the changing sentiments of consumers and the challenges and potential of the Japan Brand, contributing to increasingly complex corporate activities while also promoting cross-cultural understanding within Japanese society.

【Dentsu Inc. Japan Brand Survey 2023: Survey Overview】
・Target Areas: 19 countries/regions (United States, Mainland China, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, India, Australia, Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain)
・Sample Size: 7,260 (Breakdown: United States 960, Mainland China 1,200, Other countries/regions 300 each)
・Survey Period: December 2022 to January 2023
・Respondent criteria: Men and women aged 20–59 (middle-income and above)
・Survey Method: Online survey
・Research Organizations: Dentsu Inc. (Principal Investigator), Video Research Ltd. (Implementation Support)

[Notes and Disclaimers]
※1: Mainland China coverage primarily includes Tier 1 cities; India coverage includes Delhi and Mumbai; Australia coverage includes the Sydney metropolitan area; Southeast Asia coverage is primarily limited to metropolitan areas.
※2: Definition of middle-income level: Criteria set per country based on national average income (e.g., OECD statistics) and social class classification (SEC).
※3: Samples were collected with equal allocation by gender and age group for each country/region, then weighted to match the population composition.
※4: Proportions in this survey are rounded to the second decimal place (or first decimal place for some integer values), so totals may not add up to 100%.
※5: Country and region names used in this survey report and on the website follow the longstanding views of the Japanese government, as well as Japanese social conventions and business practices.
※6: In creating the charts and graphs for this survey, the names of the countries and regions analyzed use the international standard ISO country codes (ISO 3166-1 alpha-2/3), with some exceptions.
United States/US/USA, Canada/CA/CAN, Australia/AU/AUS, United Kingdom/UK/GBR, Germany/DE/DEU, France/FR/FRA, Italy/IT/ITA,Spain/ES/ESP, Finland/FI/FIN, United Arab Emirates/UAE, Saudi Arabia/SA/SAU, India/IN/IND, Indonesia/ID/IDN, Singapore/SG/SGP, Malaysia/MY/MYS, Philippines/PH/PHL, Thailand/TH/THA,Vietnam/VN/VNM, Mainland China/CN/CHN, Hong Kong/HK/HKG, Taiwan/TW/TWN, South Korea/KR/KOR
※7: The names of countries and regions used in this survey are for statistical or analytical convenience only and do not indicate any political stance or viewpoint.
※8: The maps used in this survey (world map and Japan map) have been partially modified and cropped to suit the analysis content and page layout. They do not necessarily accurately reflect national borders or territorial boundaries.