EAT! MEET! JAPAN 2021: 15 Award-Winning Food Experiences

On November 22, 2021, 15 winners assembled for EAT! MEET! JAPAN’s 2021 award ceremony, a contest that recognizes and promotes the best Japanese food experiences across the country. From 175 applications, these 15 food experiences were chosen, representing 10 prefectures of Japan.

Each of the experiences selected offer profound insights into Japanese cuisine and intimate windows into the lives of the people who are keeping Japanese food traditions alive.

Sitting down to a meal in Kyoto during the "Sake Tasting in Kyoto With Your Own Handmade Wooden Cup" Eat! Meet! Japan experience.

Notably, this year there was a trend towards sustainability, with hosts encouraging plant-based meals, teaching zero-waste cooking, and upcycling unmarketable veggies into creative dishes.

Vegan ramen made during the "Vegan Japanese Cooking Class: Plant-Based Ramen and Gyoza" Eat! Meet! Japan experience.

Fermented foods also star in many of these EAT! MEET! JAPAN award-winning experiences. From sake in Kyoto to katsuobushi (bonito flakes) in Mie, to koji-based dishes in Nara, and even natto in Gunma; Japan’s long-standing culinary methods of hakko (fermentation) are celebrated through tours and workshops.

Making koji during the "Fermentation Cooking and 3-Day Traditional House Stay in Nara" Eat! Meet! Japan experience.

Deep food experiences await…

An opportunity to explore the depth of Japanese food culture; come along and step into the shoes of a Jomon period hunter-gatherer for a day, or appreciate the sea’s bounty with the boathouse-dwelling people of Ine.

Boat in Ine bay during the "Bounty of the Sea: Culinary Culture of Ine, From Seafood to Sake" Eat! Meet! Japan experience..

Travelers will leave these experiences with a newfound appreciation for the people who have an unseen but vital hand in our food production system, making possible the ingredients and Japanese dishes that we take for granted every day.

What is EAT! MEET! JAPAN?

Commissioned by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, the EAT! MEET! JAPAN project aims to encourage repeat visits to Japan, promoting unique food experiences that will continue to captivate foreign tourists even after multiple trips to Japan.

Cooking with soybeans during the "Sustainable Soy: Zero-Waste Cooking Class in Kamakura" Eat! Meet! Japan experience.

Having run for three consecutive years since 2019, EAT! MEET! JAPAN has recognized 44 food experiences so far. The hosts of these award-winning experiences receive mentoring from food and tourism industry professionals, video production services, and increased visibility through social media marketing.

To learn more, see the links below.

Official Website (English): https://eatmeetjapan.co/

Official Website (Japanese): https://www.eatmeetjapan.jp/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eatmeetjapan2021/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eatmeetjapan/