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About this talk

The presentation introduces the Kenshoku Collection, a unique archive of more than 200,000 materials related to Japanese food culture, accumulated over approximately forty years. The collection includes books, newspapers, magazines, historical cookbooks, ukiyo-e prints, menus, advertisements, packaging, maps, and various folk materials. Its distinctive arrangement connects diverse materials around specific food-related themes, allowing researchers to explore Japanese food from historical, social, cultural, industrial, and regional perspectives. Ritsumeikan University is currently cataloguing and organizing the collection, with 53,862 items already registered as of March 2026. The presentation will outline the collection’s history, key characteristics, current development, and its potential as an international hub for research, education, exhibitions, and collaboration on Japanese food culture. Header image credit: Kvnga via Unsplash

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