The Impact of Efforts to Promote Regional Development through Food on Restaurants

This study investigates the changes in the use of local ingredients, customer traffic, and attitudes of the owners of restaurants after participating in the “Shonai, the Food Capital of Japan” initiatives, targeting the Shonai area, a region that has promoted regional revitalization through food. Results of a questionnaire survey of restaurants registered as “Shonai, the Food Capital of Japan” cooperative restaurants, the restaurants use a large amount of local agricultural products from Shonai, but the use of local marine products and livestock products from Shonai is relatively low, and there is room to increase their use in the future. While some restaurant owners do not feel that the registration has attracted more customers or increased sales, it has had a certain effect on not only their own interest in agriculture in the Shonai region but also their willingness to increase their use of local food ingredients. To increase the awareness of restaurant owners who wish to use Shonai food products to enhance the local economy, further promotional efforts by the government and closer ties with local producers are considered important.