Students traveled to Japan for the course Food, Politics and Policy during J-Term 2011.
J-Term at Carthage

J-Term 2011

Food, Politics and Policy in Japan

By Kendra Koeppen, '13
May 11, 2011

After a few months of routine meals at the Carthage dining hall, it may be difficult to look at how such a diet has any influence over global markets and food resources. Yet diet patterns do have an effect on economical and environmental factors, whether it is on a college campus in Wisconsin or a continent such as Asia. The J-Term course Food, Politics, and Policy took students to Japan to study how politics and the state have affected the Japanese diet in the contemporary era.

"The impact on the planet of the food choices we make and the impact on our health is becoming more and more apparent," said Jonathan Marshall, associate professor of political science at Carthage. Prof. Marshall led the study tour to Japan with Margaret Alkon, adjunct associate professor of political science. "We may not pay attention in the United States because we are comfortable with how things work, but [Japan] allows you to look at this in a whole new way. ... I think you can see it much better when you are standing in their shoes."

Small choices can lead to drastic change

For 19 days students explored Japan's cities, factories and historical landmarks to examine how market economy, imperialism, self-sufficiency policies, and Japan's integration into global trade have played a role in transforming what the Japanese people have consumed over the last 150 years.

They paid special attention to the problem of resource depletion and the environmental impact of what Japanese people have eaten in past times and what they eat today. Japan relies heavily on seafood for protein, and the sudden decrease of blue fish tuna reflects it. Being a staple item in sushi, not only has Japan been the cause of this decrease, but other countries around the world that have adopted sushi production are as well.

A visit to the wholesale market was an enlightening experience that educated students about the drastic change in fish consumption and production.

"Changes in food consumption patterns in Japan are much bigger than I realized," Prof. Alkon said. "We got a great behind-the-scenes tour of the Kanazawa Wholesale Market, a traditional food supplier, and learned that their wholesale fish sales had plummeted 40 percent in the past 10 years because Japanese people have switched to buying prepared food at supermarkets. In Tokyo, the U.S. Agriculture Foreign Trade Office told us the same story about fresh fruit. All the small daily choices we make when we shop for food can add up to drastic change in a food supply system, and it was striking to hear from very different players in the food supply industry all talking about the same changes."

Culture of convenience

Prof. Marshall described how this is partially due to aging population, single-person households, and the tradition of preparing fresh fish being lost in younger generations. A major shift to large supermarkets has taken place compared to the small, family-owned fish markets that used to be prominent across the country. Convenience has overtaken tradition with the lack of skill and knowledge in fish preparation and the availability of pre-packaged fish.

"We experienced a fish auction at the Kanazawa Fish Auction, and afterward we were given a presentation on Japan's self sufficient marketing system," said Japanese major Ashley Pourier, '11 . "Japan's fish consumption is declining because people don't know how to flay a fish. The Auction House actually provides cooking class to help stimulate fish sales."

The class was also able to witness and visit several factories and gain hands-on experience in food production. Students saw the traditional operation of a soy sauce brewery and a pickle factory. They also stopped at factory that produced traditional Japanese sweets, where they were able to make their own desserts.

"The most memorable moments for me were the hands-on experiences," said theatre major Zackery Simonini, '12, "specifically the making of Senbei, a traditional Japanese sweet cracker and Wagashi, a traditional dessert. It reminded me of baking with Grandma."

A powerful experience

The group also got to try their hand at making traditional sushi in Nomi. Traditional sushi in Japan is fish wrapped in bamboo leaves, placed on top of rice, and pressed. This is different from the sushi known by most people today, referred to as "new-fangled" sushi that was developed in the 19th century. They witnessed the lost art of cast-iron rice cooking as well.

Eating, viewing and making food was not the only thing the students did, however. They made stops at the National Museum and explored the electronic district in Tokyo, explored a temple complex dating back to the 7th century, and made a trip to the Eiheiji Temple, where the students were able to partake in Zen meditation and observe the life of the monks.

"Hearing them all chant and move in unison was ethereal," said Japanese and accounting major Samantha Wagner, '11. "We all got the opportunity to put incense on the burner in front of the service and in front of the statue of Buddha. It's so hard to describe, but the whole [experience] was powerful with the monks' devotion to their beliefs and way of life."

'Humbling and satisfying'

Students also had a chance to explore on their own. A memorable moment for many was when they were venturing through Kyoto and got lost trying to find the 500 gates, a popular landmark in Kyoto. An elderly couple who spoke English offered assistant and insisted on escorting them to the gates. The quick-paced 80-year-old husband helped the group arrive at their destination quickly. "It is Japanese tradition if someone shows you kindness to repay them with a small token to show your appreciation," Samantha stated. "When we offered, the man refused. We asked for a picture, he refused. We asked his name and he replied, 'nobody.'"

A culturally immersive incident such as this one was one of the many educational experiences that the class took advantage of. While learning how changes influence global markets and food resources in Japan, students were able to learn something about themselves and the country they live in.

"America is very impersonal, our sense of community is pale in the light of Japan with fresh markets every free blocks, the aid people give without ulterior motives, the temple festivals, and so much more. The sense of community in Japan strong, and I wish America had just a sliver of this," Samantha said.

By the conclusion of the course, the class was able to identify changes to the diet in modern Japan, understand markets and government policies, and broaden their perspectives about foreign cultures and, perhaps, the one at Carthage. "This experience will forever be a valued one," Zackery Simonini said. "Any time I travel, I find myself more aware of the world around me. It is humbling and satisfying to be part of this great big planet. Remembering that fact will be important when discovering how I want to live my life." 

Past J-Term Stories

2011
J-Term 2011: A Time to Explore
Understanding AIDS
Crime in Media
Shakespeare in Rome
The Sociology of Adventure

2010
J-Term 2010: On-Campus Courses
Video: Nicaragua
An Opera in 3 1/2 weeks
Social Context of Knitting
Telescope Making
Aviation and Meteorology

2009
Art Meets Biology in Arizona
Forensic Science
Unearthing the Past in Omrit