Aiko Tanaka
Aiko Tanaka is a Japanese scholar and author in Food Studies, focusing on the links between food, culture, sustainability, and education. In 2023, she founded the Japan Food Studies College (JFSC), Japan’s first institution dedicated to Food Studies. The College promotes interdisciplinary research on food, ecology, history, and society, along with education for sustainable living.
Her philosophy, “Philosophy on Our Table,” frames everyday eating as an ethical act connecting people, nature, and future generations. Based on this, JFSC offers programs, lectures, and international initiatives. Tanaka has presented in over twenty countries on Japanese food culture, sustainability, and food philosophy. In 2024, she organized Japan’s first international Food Studies conference, Looking at the Global Environment Through Our Dining Table, with participants from eleven countries.
In 2025, JFSC launched partnerships with GustoLab International (USA) and the Borromini Institute (Italy) to develop experiential food education programs in Osaka. Her research explores how Japanese culinary traditions—seasonality, fermentation, biodiversity, and respect for nature—can inform sustainable food systems. She also proposes “Food Way,” a framework viewing food as a philosophy of life. She is a frequent keynote speaker and author of books on Japanese cuisine and Food Studies. Her upcoming book, Food Studies of Osaka, will be published by Asahiya Publishing in 2027. Her mission is to show that food is not only nourishment, but a cultural language and a path toward a sustainable future