Iwama, Kazuhiro
Faculty of Letters Asian History Professor
Graduate School of Letters Asian History Professor
Research Overview
With Shanghai as my main field of research, I have studied social change in modern Chinese cities. My work has also explored the theme of cultural exchange through food, examining how nationalism since the 20th century has transformed Chinese cuisine worldwide and how Japanese imperialism influenced its acceptance. More recently, I have been interested in the development of home cooking, regional cuisine, and national dishes in China, Korea, and Japan. I am also studying the history of state banquets in China. I try to scrutinize and verify facts by comparing books, magazines, newspapers, and corporate and administrative documents, and by conducting supplementary interviews whenever necessary.
Specialty
Modern East Asian History, History of Food as Cultural Exchange, and Chinese Urban History.