Gurunavi Research Institute 2023 "Dish of the Year®" Press Conference

2023.12.22

Gurunavi Research Institute, Inc. conducts various surveys and research on food as a key theme and widely disseminates the results and recommendations. In order to record, protect, and pass on Japan's excellent food culture as a shared heritage for all, the company began selecting the "Dish of the Year®" in 2014.
The selection conditions are:1) It must be a trend or topic of conversation that year, 2) it must reflect the social climate of that year, and 3) it must be worthy of being passed down as part of food culture.This year marks the 10th anniversary of "Dish of the Year®," and the aim is to promote Japanese food culture both domestically and internationally, as well as to further develop it.

2023 "Dish of the Year®":Delicious rice balls

[Reasons for selection]
- The markings of the ingredients stimulate the appetite, and the gorgeous appearance has made it a hot topic, especially on social media.
- The enjoyment of being able to choose from a wide variety of ingredients and the style of enjoying freshly made sushi at restaurants were well received by consumers, and it evolved into a delicacy.
-Consumer expenditure on onigiri is on the rise, and the opening of new specialty stores has boosted consumption of polished rice for home-cooked and restaurant meals.
・It is also sold overseas under the name "ONIGIRI," and is helping to spread traditional Japanese food culture.

Runner-up:Rice flour gourmet

As the price of imported wheat continues to rise for a long time, attention has been drawn to domestically produced rice flour, which has a stable supply as an alternative. With the growing health consciousness in recent years, it has been evaluated as having the potential to become more popular as a low-gluten menu item.

Food Possibility Award:Land-farmed fish

The project was evaluated as being less susceptible to environmental issues and will support sustainable fisheries. It is expected to maintain freshness, reduce transportation costs, and improve quality through cutting-edge technology.

Nominations:Scallop

In response to the surplus stocks resulting from the seafood embargoes imposed by various countries, support was provided through the development of new menus at major restaurant chains and gifts in return for hometown tax donations. It was assessed that there was potential for increased consumption through the expansion of domestic sales channels and the provision of new menus.

*Restaurants where you can eat "Dish of the Year®"CLICK HERE, past "Dish of the Year®"CLICK HERE.

Article composition: Minami Yoshikawa, second-year student at Sophia University