A Focus on Food at SFC | Motohiro Tsuchiya, Vice-President and Professor, Graduate School of Media and Governance
2022.10.04
Dean Fumitoshi Katowrote about "Marutaka"in his Okashira Nikki (Dean's Diary). Anyone who has spent their student life at SFC has probably been there at least once. I don't have any particularly special memories of it, but I went there often when I was in the Ph.D. program. I always confused its name with a Chinese restaurant called "Marutomo" on the east side of Shonandai Station. The two are probably unrelated.
It's sad that another dining option around SFC has disappeared. There used to be a traditional house restaurant called "Gonbachi" that served Hoto noodles, a Yamanashi specialty, and I often went there for a meal, getting a ride in a junior colleague's car.
At Mita Campus, where I have been spending a lot of time over the past year or so, it would be an exaggeration to say the options are endless, but there are quite a few. Even on campus, in addition to the co-op cafeteria, there is Yamashoku, famous for its curry; Banraisha; and the Faculty Club. Off-campus, there are many different choices. While I'd like to explore new places, I usually end up going to my regular spots.
Recently,a cafe called Hakkakutohas opened in the Old University Library, where you can enjoy coffee, tea, and sweets. The Jukukan-kyoku (Keio Corporate Administration) has a rule that visitors unrelated to the duties of a Vice-President are not allowed. Vice-Presidents based at Mita Campus can just use their own offices, but for someone like me who is not, this is a problem. The opening of Hakkakuto has been a great help, as I can now meet guests there. It's a pleasure to be able to spend time over a cup of tea for meetings with publishers, casual chats with alumni, and conversations with friends from overseas who can now visit as borders have opened.
For the past few years, Keio University has been organizing its research around the three pillars of longevity, security, and creativity. In relation to longevity research, "food" is a key element. I heard that a university I recently visited in the UK has a center for food safety research. As energy prices soar and inflation grips the global economy, access to food may become an increasingly serious issue.
As access to food at SFC dwindles, I hope we can enhance research on food culture, food security, and the relationship between food and health. There are also many faculty members and students whose theme is regional revitalization. I imagine they each travel to different regions and eat delicious food, but I wonder if we couldn't connect their work more through the theme of food.
Keio University has accepted four graduate students from Ukraine. Two of themare enrolled in the Graduate School of Media and Governance at SFC. I wonder what Ukrainian cuisine is like. Is it similar to Russian food? I've never been to Ukraine, so I can't picture it.
Next spring, whenΗ Villageis completed, perhaps more international students will come. I would be happy to see a rise in international discussions about food culture.