Pickles and agrobiodiversity: a foodway and traditional vegetable varieties in Japan

Foodways are important in understanding the bio-cultural dynamics of crop diversity. This paper examines the example of tsukemono (Japanese pickles) and their importance for heirloom vegetables. Social histories of heirlooms and tsukemono were difficult to obtain, so various sources from archives, p...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Agriculture and human values 2021-12, Vol.38 (4), p.1079-1096
Main Author:	Kimura, Aya H.
Format:	Article
Language:	eng
Subjects:	Agrarian structures Agricultural Economics Agricultural Ethics Agriculture Agrobiodiversity Consumption Corn Crop diversification Crops Cultural factors Customs Development Studies Education Environmental Sociology Farmers Food Gift giving Homogenization Humanities and Social Sciences Multiculturalism & pluralism multidisciplinary Philosophy Pickling Political economy Science Seeds Social life & customs Sustainable Development Vegetables
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Summary:	Foodways are important in understanding the bio-cultural dynamics of crop diversity. This paper examines the example of tsukemono (Japanese pickles) and their importance for heirloom vegetables. Social histories of heirlooms and tsukemono were difficult to obtain, so various sources from archives, published reports, to interviews were used to stitch together the stories of the tsukemono-heirloom relationships. The paper finds that tsukemono has provided different opportunities for heirlooms. Tsukemono can enhance the taste and flavors of heirlooms. Pickling can make the best of heirloom’s unique tastes even when they are not suited for other uses. Moreover, certain tsukemono has historically been associated with important social customs like gift-giving and seasonal events. The theoretical contribution of this study is to analyze the foodway-heirloom relationships from the vantage point of the political economy of agrofood systems. It is not enough to say a particular foodway is important for heirlooms. The paper reveals the necessity of analyses that situate the heirloom- foodway relationships in the modern agrofood systems. Changes not only in agriculture but also in consumption, retail, and processing are crucial in understanding the heirloom-foodway relationship.
ISSN:	0889-048X 1572-8366