Course Description
Since the latter half of the 20th century, Japan has experienced a continuous decline in its self-sufficiency in food and energy. In the 21st century, amid population decline, aging, and stagnant economic growth, this program aims to provide an opportunity to reflect on and take action toward sustaining food supplies, preserving the natural environment, and ensuring a safe and secure lifestyle.
Students will learn about changes in agriculture, distribution, consumption, and dietary habits. Through hands-on experiences such as local agricultural fieldwork and cooking practice, they will gain an understanding of the current situation and challenges, and explore sustainable food systems.
This program will be conducted as a Intercultural Collaborative Learning style course, where Japanese students and international students engage in together.
[Course Content]
1. Lectures and Group Work
・Comparison of food systems in the world, Japan, and the Shinshu region
・Development and challenges of Japanese food culture and the agricultural/food processing industries (e.g., fermented foods)
・Food reviews to compare students’ food experiences and regional food, and to explore related issues
・Connections among farming activities, food, health, and household budgets
2. Fieldwork
・Saturday between mid-May and mid-June: Agricultural fieldwork in a mountainous rural area (rice paddy farming: planting and weeding)
・From mid-June to early July: Visits to agricultural processing industries (e.g., miso, soy sauce)
Students will learn and reflect objectively on their own eating habits through these experiences.
3. Presentations and Final Report
Students will work in groups to summarize and present what they learned from the lectures and fieldwork. Each student will develop an individual action plan on how they intend to engage with food, agriculture, and the natural environment.