The Era of “Food” in Japan: What Kind of Japanese Cuisine Is in Demand Today?

In the third installment of this series, we noted that “eating Japanese food” ranked first among things visitors want to do in Japan, and in the fifth installment, we highlighted that “Japanese food” topped both the list of things visitors consider excellent about Japan and the list of things they are interested in.

You can find Japanese restaurants even in destinations popular among Japanese travelers, such as countries across Asia, Hawaii, and New York. In the past, “Japanese cuisine” was almost synonymous with “sushi,” but what is the situation like now?

This series explores insights for the future of the inbound tourism business based on the “Japan Brand Survey 2019,” conducted in 20 countries and regions in December 2018. In this installment, we’ll focus on “Japanese cuisine” and take a closer look.

“Sushi is synonymous with Japanese food” remains true. “Sake” and “ramen” have emerged as new favorites!

When asked what Japanese foods they are familiar with, “sushi” ranked first, followed by “sake” and “ramen.” While awareness of “sake” is high, perhaps due to it being an alcoholic beverage, both past experience and future interest are relatively low. “Ramen,” which scores high in both past experience and future interest, appears to be more popular globally.

When broken down by gender and age group, women—particularly young women in their 20s and 30s—tended to be more familiar with Japanese food, especially traditional Japanese cuisine. Among women in their 20s, awareness of “ramen” exceeded 60%, and half were familiar with “soba/udon,” resulting in high scores overall.

Looking at the results from three years ago (2016), “sushi” ranked first in terms of awareness, experience, and future interest, and this trend has remained unchanged since the survey began, maintaining its unshakable top position.

However, when comparing “awareness” specifically, the rankings from second place onward have shifted significantly, suggesting that the range of Japanese cuisine has expanded rapidly over the past three years. “Sake,” which had not previously ranked among the top, moved up to second place, while “ramen,” which was previously in fourth place, surpassed “sashimi” and “tempura”—long considered synonymous with Japanese cuisine—to rank third.

This shift is likely largely influenced by the experiences and word-of-mouth recommendations of the many foreign tourists visiting Japan.In a 2018 survey asking visitors to Japan about “what they did in Japan,” “eating Japanese food” ranked first, cited by over 80% of respondents. Furthermore, videos showing foreign tourists surprised by the differences between Japanese cuisine in Japan and what they’re used to in their home countries have gone viral. It is believed that as the appeal and deliciousness of authentic Japanese cuisine are shared, understanding of it deepens and interest continues to grow.

Wagyu beef in Asia, vegetables and fruits in Europe and the U.S.—what people want to eat varies by region!

Next, when we look at the survey results for “Japanese foods you’d like to try in the future” by region, we can see distinct trends. In East Asia, “beef (Wagyu)” topped the list, surpassing “sushi,” and since “beef” also ranked fifth in ASEAN, this suggests the high popularity of “Wagyu” across Asia.

In contrast, “vegetables” topped the list in North America. In Europe as well, the top five spots were dominated by ingredients: “rice,” “seafood,” “fruit,” and “vegetables.” While this may partly reflect the fact that the variety of Japanese cuisine is not yet widely known in the West—particularly in Europe—it is notable that there is a strong interest in the ingredients themselves.

In the fiscal year 2018 survey, respondents were asked about their “image of Japanese ingredients,” and items such as “high quality” and “attractive appearance (color, shape, etc.)” ranked highly.

In my previous article, I noted that “quality” is highly valued in the perception of “Made in Japan” products, and this same perception applies to food ingredients as well, suggesting significant future potential for visually appealing foods.

When Do People Want to Buy Japanese Food? Focusing on Regional Differences

Interest in Japanese ingredients and food products is high even in Europe and the United States, and with the support of the Japanese government, export volumes are expected to increase even further in the future. What kinds of initiatives would be effective in encouraging consumers to purchase Japanese ingredients and food products?

In East Asia, where people are very familiar with Japan, many want to know “how the product is evaluated and eaten in Japan itself.” In ASEAN countries, where pro-Japanese sentiment is high, there is a tendency to place greater emphasis on “how the product is made in Japan,” such as through introductions of producers and explanations of the production process.

In Europe and North America, where Japanese cuisine is still relatively unknown, we found that consumers tend to want to participate in “tastings” to learn what it’s like and understand how to use the products. These findings remind us once again of the need to tailor marketing strategies by region and country, taking into account differences in psychological distance from Japan and the level of penetration of Japanese cuisine.

Through this series on inbound tourism, I’ve come to realize that not only is the number of foreign tourists increasing, but—starting with these visitors—the image and reputation of Japanese products are improving, and Japanese cuisine is gaining wider acceptance. It has also become clear once again that perceptions of Japan vary significantly by region.

Looking ahead to 2020 and the 2025 Osaka-Kansai World Expo, business opportunities stemming from inbound tourism will continue to expand. Next year, in particular, will be a major turning point that will shape Japan’s future. How can we leverage this opportunity to engage people who have not yet visited Japan or who are not yet interested in it? I hope you will use these survey results as a reference when formulating strategies to ensure these efforts lead to continued success in the years to come.

[Contact Information 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/ 　

[Purpose of the Dentsu Inc. Brand Survey]
Launched in 2011—when the Great East Japan Earthquake led to reputational damage affecting Japanese agricultural and marine products as well as inbound tourism—this is Dentsu Inc.’s proprietary commercial marketing research initiative designed to understand how products and services originating in Japan are perceived globally.The Japan Brand Survey regularly assesses overseas consumers’ perceptions and actual behaviors regarding the Japan brand as a whole, covering areas such as overseas travel, inbound tourism, culture, regional revitalization, Japanese cuisine, Japanese products, and lifestyle. By visualizing shifting consumer sentiments as well as the challenges and potential of the Japan brand, the survey contributes to increasingly complex corporate activities while also promoting cross-cultural understanding within Japanese society.

[Dentsu Inc. Brand Survey 2019: Survey Overview]
・Target Areas: 20 countries and regions (Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, India, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Australia, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, Turkey)
・Sample Size: 6,600 (Breakdown: United States 600, Mainland China 600, other countries and regions 300 each)
・Survey Period: December 2018
・Eligibility criteria: Men and women aged 20–59 (middle-income bracket and above)
・Survey Method: Online survey
・Research Organizations: Dentsu Inc. (commissioner), Video Research Ltd. (implementation partner)

[Notes and Disclaimers]
*1: The target areas in mainland China were primarily Tier 1 cities; in Australia, the Sydney metropolitan area; and in Southeast Asia, primarily metropolitan areas.
*2: Definition of middle-income group: Criteria were established for each country based on average national income figures (such as OECD statistics) and socio-economic classification (SEC).
*3: Samples were collected using equal allocation by gender and age group in each country and region, and the data was weighted to reflect the population distribution.
*4: Since the composition ratios in this survey are rounded to the second decimal place (or to the first decimal place where displayed as whole numbers), the total may not add up to 100%.
*5: In creating the charts and tables 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 a few 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, Turkey/TR
*6: The names of countries and regions used in this survey report and on our website are based on the Japanese government’s long-standing position, as well as Japanese social norms and business practices.
*7: The names of countries and regions used in this survey are for statistical or analytical convenience only and do not imply any political stance or viewpoint.
*8: The maps used in this survey (world map and map of Japan) have been partially modified and cropped to suit the analysis content and page layout; therefore, they may not necessarily reflect national borders and territorial boundaries accurately.
*9: As a commercial marketing research study aimed at understanding the lifestyle habits and brand preferences of general consumers, this survey has been conducted consistently since its inception through commissioned fieldwork partners, in strict compliance with local laws, regulations, and public order and morals.Surveys conducted in China are carried out through fieldwork contractors who have obtained the “Foreign-Related Survey Permit” required by Chinese authorities; our company does not conduct market research activities within China itself. Furthermore, we monitor and review our operational procedures as necessary in light of developments such as changes in laws and regulations.
*10: The response data collected through this survey is obtained, managed, and processed lawfully in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations of each target market. The data we receive consists solely of aggregated data that has been anonymized in a manner that does not allow for the identification of specific individuals and cannot be reversed; it does not contain any personal information.