Transmission and Localization of Cultures : Focusing Japanese Food in Italy

Yo TABAYASHI
2019
Cultures are transmitted when they are in contact. Some of them are rejected and others are desired by the receiving community. From the past we human beings have a long history of this kind of cultural transmission, and in the current globalizing world, cultures travel farther, faster, and more often. This paper aims to clarify some patterns, processes, and outcomes of cultural transmission and localization abroad. The first chapter gives a glance to definitions of the word "culture," and
more » ... nes four forms of cultural transmission, among which the amalgamation/adaptation is to be delineated the most. The second chapter overviews Japanese foodways changing over time. The third chapter discusses under which circumstances transmission and localization of foodways occur. The last chapter describes cases of localization of Japanese food in Italian restaurants. Focusing on Japanese cuisines/food changing inside Japan and travelling abroad, the issues like localization and authenticity are to be discussed, by literature review of the past researches, the governmental documents, description of websites of restaurants, and field work in Milan and Bergamo in Italy. Among our findings is the fact that localization spontaneously occurs beyond control of anybody including the authority, since culture gets localized accommodating local customers' tastes and other conditions in its host communities.
doi:10.34382/00004682 fatcat:r52ijll3pvacrbizdox2y2fqp4