Table-based interactive system for augmenting Japanese food culture experience

Washoku, traditional Japanese food culture, was evaluated as a social custom for food that embodies the Japanese spirit of respect for nature and was registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2013. However, an actual meal is limited to taste and visual information such as taste, ingredients, tableware, and arrangements; it is difficult to become thoroughly familiar with the cultural characteristics of Japanese cuisine. This study achieved a system that conveys the characteristics of Japanese cuisine, such as the importance of seasonality and ingredients, by displaying the cultural background related to food in text form. The natural environment is projected by a projector on a table, and seasons progress as the meal advances. The food was created in consultation with the chef to be suitable for the system. The users who participated in our survey and experienced the system were conveyed that Japanese cuisine is supported by the richness and seasons of nature and that it also affects traditional events.