Over the past several years working in Japan’s school system, I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing school lunches firsthand. Every day, local industrial kitchens prepare nutritious meals from scratch and deliver them to schools across the region. But school lunch isn’t just about eating. It’s also a built-in lesson on food education. Students learn about seasonal produce, regional agriculture and the foundations of a balanced diet.
Each meal is carefully designed by a licensed nutritionist. In large cities like Tokyo, many schools have on-site kitchens and a dedicated nutritionist as part of the staff. In smaller towns like Ashoro, the Board of Education oversees a centralized kitchen facility that prepares and distributes meals to local schools. Menus are often built around seasonal vegetables sourced from nearby farms, and in some cases, even from gardens tended by the students themselves.
Lunch is also an important time for teaching responsibility and community values. Students and teachers eat together in their homeroom classrooms. Each day, a group of students takes on the role of serving the food, wearing aprons and tying bandanas over their hair as they dish out portions from large containers. Once everyone is served and seated, a daily-rotating lunch leader checks everyone’s posture, instructs them to place their hands together in prayer, and says “itadakimasu,” which the class repeats in unison to express gratitude for the meal.
Picky eaters are encouraged to try everything, and students aren’t allowed second helpings until they’ve finished what’s on their plate. This helps broaden their palate and ensures they get a well-rounded meal. During the lunch period, many schools have a student-run broadcast — usually music, but sometimes it includes games, quizzes, or interviews with faculty. Students are also taught to minimize food waste, making a point to eat every last grain of rice in their bowl. After the meal, they clean their dishes, sort utensils, and break down their milk cartons for recycling. Through this daily routine, students learn nutrition, hygiene, discipline, teamwork, and a lasting respect for food. It’s an impressive system; one I think Canada could learn from.
And with this article, my time in Ashoro, and subsequently writing for this column, comes to an end. I want to thank you, Dear Reader, for reading my articles on life in quaint little Ashoro. All the best!
Wetaskiwin and Ashoro, Japan have been official twin cities since 1990 when the Wetaskiwin Ashoro Friendship Affiliation Agreement was signed.
