Laboratory for future of “food and agriculture”
that are friendly to the Earth and to people. Kubota Germination Lab Food and society archives

Laboratory for future of “food and agriculture” that are friendly to the Earth and to people. Kubota Germination Lab Food and society archives

Food, clothing, and shelter have long been
the three essential elements for human life.

Food, in particular, has a role
that goes beyond sustaining life
and has a history of linking
everything from politics and
economics to culture, industry,
philosophy, the environment,
the arts and so on.

Food and society are closely related.
We have represented the transition in
food from
Society 1.0 to Society 4.0
as a bento box.
Let’s take a peek into the evolution of
human
food and society through
the bento box.

Society1.0

Hunting-gatherer society

Humans obtained food through hunting and gathering, but when
resources ran out, they were forced to migrate. Eventually, people realized that plant seeds grow and started to cultivate them.
The development of agriculture enabled settlement and societies were formed.

Jomon Period

The era of hunting and gathering for
food With the ability to use fire, the
variety of food increased.

Around 4,500 years ago

250,000 people

Yayoi Period

The era of rice cultivation and
population growth
The style of meals consisting of rice and side dishes was established.

Around 1,800 years ago

600,000 people

Society2.0

Agrarian society

Food stabilized due to the development of agriculture and humankind built settled societies. Crops and farm implements
suitable for each region were created and yields improved. Surplus food encouraged the division of labor and trade,
which led to caste systems and cities being formed.

Asuka and Nara Periods

The era when eating meat was prohibited
The foundation of traditional Japanese cuisine, based on fish, vegetables, and soybeans, was formed.

Around 1,300 years ago

5,250,000 people

Kamakura and Muromachi Periods

The era of using cattle and horses in agriculture
Markets and shops selling crops emerged.

Around 430 years ago

12,250,000 people

Edo Period

The era when eating became a form of entertainment
The variety of food expanded.

Around 200 years ago

31,900,000 people

Society3.0

Industrial society

Industrial society was
ushered in by the industrial revolution, and agriculture also became more efficient with the introduction of mechanization and chemical fertilizers. In association with the increase in the urban population, agriculture has changed from
self-sufficiency to large-scale production. The commercialization of food has also advanced due to processed foods and other products. This was also an era when impacts on the environment increased.

Meiji and Taisho Periods

The era of adopting foreign cultures
Eating meat became common, leading to the creation of Japanese-style Western cuisine.

Around 100 years ago

59,750,000 people

Post-World War II and
the High Economic Growth Period

The era of agricultural mechanization and advancements in fertilizers and crop improvement
Convenient and imported foods became widespread.

Around 60 years ago

99,200,000 people

Society4.0

Information society

In the information society, global information transmission via the internet has improved the efficiency of life and industry. However, mass production and mass consumption have become serious environmental problems. While agriculture is also required to be sustainable, new initiatives are progressing aimed at labor-saving and high-quality production using IT.