The Tsuruoka Institute for Gastronomic Innovation is a research
organization established to drive advanced R&D under the
Cabinet Office-certified "Tsuruoka Gastronomic Innovation (TGI) Project."
We explore the world’s first interdisciplinary field of
"Integrative Gastronomy"—merging food science with food culture—to
redefine the possibilities of what we eat.
NEWS
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Held the 3rd Tsuruoka Gastronomic Innovation (TGI) Project Kick-off Event.
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Held the 2nd Tsuruoka Gastronomic Innovation (TGI) Project Kick-off Event.
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Held the Tsuruoka Gastronomic Innovation (TGI) Project Kick-off Event.
Director’s Message
Integrative Gastronomy
Science & Technology
- ・The pursuit of the unknown through discovery and innovation.
- ・Quantitative analysis, objectivity, efficiency, reproducibility, optimization and so on.
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1Natural Sciences
(The Pursuit of Truth)Scientific understanding of ingredients and the human body.
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2Engineering & Technology
(Application and Creation)Practical application of food technologies, products, and processes.
Culture (The Humanities)
- ・The inheritance of values, traditions, customs, and narratives.
- ・The stories that numbers cannot capture.
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3Social Sciences
(Institutions and Structures)Economic systems, distribution, and social behavior surrounding food.
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4Humanities
(meaning and value)The cultural, spiritual, and philosophical significance of food.
Researchers
Yamagata University
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Professor Toru Watanabe
Field: Water Environmental Engineering, Environmental Risk Assessment
Research: Evaluating the impacts of utilizing wastewater-derived fertilizers and feed on animal/plant metabolism, food components, and intestinal drug resistance. -
Associate Professor Takako Aboshi
Field: Bioorganic Chemistry
Research: Developing advanced measurement techniques for characterizing food aroma components. -
Associate Professor Kazuo Ikeda
Field: Horticulture (Fruit Trees)
Research: Functional component evaluation, processing variation analysis, and breeding efficiency for fruit trees (particularly Chinese cherries and pears); research on the preservation and promotion of indigenous crops. -
Associate Professor Naomi Kanoh
Field: Food Functional Science
Research: Functional component analysis of regional ingredients and evaluation of their health-promoting properties. -
Assistant Professor Yuri Kimura
Field: Plant Biochemistry
Research: Analysis of plant cell wall characteristics and related metabolites in response to varying environmental conditions. -
Associate Professor Sho Kobayashi
Field: Food Nutrition Science
Research: Identification of active components in food extracts that inhibit ferroptosis (cell death). -
Associate Professor Satoru Sato
Field: Black Soldier Fly Studies, Applied Ecology
Research: Establishing regional circular models for food, livestock, and tourism centered on the use of Black Soldier Flies (fertilizer, feed, poultry, pharmaceuticals, aged rice, etc.). -
Professor Yoshihito Shiono
Field: Natural Products Organic Chemistry
Research: Elucidating changes in root secretions and symbiotic metabolic mechanisms caused by rhizosphere microorganisms; metabolome analysis of active ingredients (including neem cake). -
Associate Professor Tomoyuki Nabeshima
Field: Vegetable Horticulture
Research: Elucidating the effects of variations in cuticle properties on metabolites (lipids, phenols, etc.) and analyzing the chemical components of fruit surface gloss. -
Professor Tomonori Hoshino
Field: Crop Breeding
Research: Multi-omics analysis and breeding applications for Dadacha-mame soybeans using aroma as a primary indicator. -
Professor Kenichi Horiguchi
Field: Animal Management
Research: Searching for natto bacteria cultivation substrates using underutilized resources and advancing livestock management through AI. -
Associate Professor Atsuko Miyagi
Field: Plant Physiology, Metabolic Biochemistry
Research: Visualizing how differences in extraction methods and mass spectrometry equipment impact metabolome analysis results.
Keio University (IAB)
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Professor Kazuharu Arakawa
Field: Bioinformatics, Systems Biology
Research: Developing an automated sake tasting note generation system through the integration of aroma components and metabolome analysis. -
Specially Appointed Associate Professor Tatsuki Ogura
Field: Analytical Chemistry, Metabolomics, Food Science
Research: Developing high-precision analysis methods for soil and plant-derived organic matter using NMR. -
Associate Professor Nobuaki Kono
Field: Bioinformatics, Systems Biology, Synthetic Biology
Research: Constructing genomic design foundations for microbial-based production of food and materials. -
Professor Masahiro Sugimoto
Field: Metabolomics, Bioinformatics
Research: Constructing a data platform to integrate and manage crop sample metadata and metabolomes. -
Associate Professor Akiyoshi Hirayama
Field: Metabolomics, Analytical Chemistry
Research: Discovering functional metabolites and establishing quantification technologies through high-sensitivity metabolome analysis. -
Specially Appointed Professor Shinji Fukuda
Field: Gut Design, Integrated Omics Science
Research: Integrated research on the health effects of food via the gut environment and the microbial upcycling of organic waste. -
Specially Appointed Professor Atsushi Nagano
Field: Plant Physiology, Field Omics
Research: Developing transcriptome analysis and genome editing technologies to control plant environmental responses. -
Specially Appointed Lecturer Harunori Yoshikawa
Field: Proteomics, Molecular Biology
Research: Establishing proteome quantification techniques for enzymes that determine the flavor and quality of food products. -
Specially Appointed Lecturer Satoshi Yuzawa
Field: Synthetic Biology, Biochemistry, Chemical Biology
Research: Isolation of indigenous wild yeasts from grapes and their application in white wine brewing.
The Tsuruoka Gastronomic Innovation Consortium
The Tsuruoka Gastronomic Innovation Consortium is a collaborative platform designed to drive the future of food alongside the Institute.
We promote joint research with private-sector companies nationwide,
serving as a dynamic hub where the innovators shaping the future of food connect and create together.
Participating Corporations
(as of September 2025)
- ITO EN, LTD.
- SHODA SHOYU CO.,LTD.
- Ezaki Glico Co., Ltd.
- NISSIN FOODS HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
- NH Foods Ltd.
- KAMEDA SEIKA CO., LTD.
- House Foods Group Inc.
- Calbee, Inc.
- Hanamaruki Foods Inc.
- Kiku-Masamune Sake Brewing Co., Ltd.
- FUJICCO CO., LTD.
- Kikkoman Corporation
- Bourbon Corporation
- Kewpie Corporation
- Mizkan Holdings Co., Ltd.
- Morinaga&Co., Ltd.
- Pasco Shikishima Corporation
- Yamaki Co., Ltd.
- (and two other companies)