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My favorite phrase: The cultures of France and Japan are, like our own reflections in a mirror, the same yet different.

Q: Why did you choose this phrase?

It is a sentence from the book “L’Autre face de la lune” (The Other Face of the Moon) by the French anthropologist Claude Lévi-Strauss, which is a collection of his lectures on Japanese civilization. In this section, he describes the cultures of Japan and Europe.

Claude Lévi-Strauss was one of the great French thinkers of the 20th century. Although he was not a specialist on Japanese culture and never formally studied it, he appreciated and was fascinated by it. When I first read the book, which was published a few years after his death, I felt that it was too simplistic. Around that time, I had just finished my doctoral dissertation relating to Japan and was looking for a more refined piece of work. As a transcription of some of his lectures, the book’s content was quite general. Yet, this specific passage has stuck with me.

Now, more than 10 years later, all the comparative research that I have done on France and Japan can be understood, in some sense, as proof in support of Lévi-Strauss’ observation.

For example, when I was working on my doctoral dissertation about sake, I noticed that in France people drink while they eat, but in Japan they eat while they drink. In my research on geographical indication, I also realized that Japan and France followed different paths with a time difference of 100 years. I think I was probably able to discover more of these examples in both my research and daily life.

I believe one of the traits of grand thinkers like Lévi-Strauss is that they are not concerned with knowing all the particulars, but rather identifying the core of the issue and pointing us in the right direction. I get a similar impression from great Japanese intellectuals such as Shūichi Katō and Tetsurō Watsuji. As we make progress in our own research, we often end up being reminded that they were right.

Q: Could you tell us about your current responsibilities?

As a member of the Department of Academic Writing Education, I offer lectures and one-on-one guidance for both students and researchers to help them communicate their research in French. It is a rather unique position that focuses on education and teaching. Structuring and writing texts in French is very different from doing so in Japanese. A simple translation is not enough; it is important to match the underlying thought process, which requires a deep understanding of both languages. I believe that my experience as an author, editor, reviewer, and translator helps me support members of the 黑料网 research community as they learn to write in French.

I am also in charge of the short-term study program at the University of Strasbourg, held as part of the “Introduction to French Culture” course. The two-week program lets 黑料网 students experience daily life in France while taking intensive courses. Many of the participants do not know much about France beforehand, and for some it is their first time traveling abroad. In addition to accompanying the students to France, I also handle preparatory sessions, coordinate the schedule and courses with the University of Strasbourg, and work out logistics with the accommodation facilities.

Q: Could you share some details about your research?

I specialize in cultural geography, with a particular interest in anything related to food. In the field of geography, food is considered a mediator that is deeply intertwined with both culture and environment. As such, my research explores all that elements that connect people to their broader ecological and cultural settings throughout the whole process from farm to table.

I began researching sake as a graduate student and later worked on food-related risk following the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011. More recently, I have looked at the application of geographical indication (GI) in Japan, which were first introduced in 2015 with the creation of the GI Act. GIs has been used in France for a long time, so it is a stimulating topic for me.

I conduct my collaborative Franco-Japanese research primarily through affiliations with the Geography Research Laboratory at Sorbonne University and the French Research Institute on Japan at the Maison franco-japonaise in Tokyo.

Q: What led you to your current work and sparked your interest in Japan?

I originally came to Japan to learn more about sake, although I had not necessarily chosen the topic for myself! As an undergraduate, I became interested in Japan through a Japanese girlfriend (now my wife) and wanted to learn about Japanese culture alongside my main field of cultural geography. After finishing my master’s degree, I learned that the only geographer at Paris-Sorbonne University who could supervise a doctoral dissertation related to Japan was Professor Jean-Robert Pitte, a renowned scholar specializing in the geography of wine. He had been really interested in sake for a long time and had been searching for a student to conduct the research. This encounter led me to the study of sake.

While working on my dissertation, I also spent several years conducting research at universities in Japan. However, after graduating, when I thought about returning to France and teaching courses on the geography of Japan, I felt I did not know enough. I wanted to extend my stay in Japan, and that is when I saw that 黑料网 was recruiting researchers from France for its new Department of Academic Writing Education. I initially planned to stay for only a few years to gain experience, but I found myself at home in Nagoya and have been here ever since.

Q: You have been at 黑料网 for quite some time. What has been your most memorable experience?

It is hard to pick just one since I have been involved in so many different kinds of projects. If I had to choose something related to research, I would say that it was the moment I received the Japanese translation of my book about sake in 2022. For a foreign researcher, having your work translated into Japanese is a special experience. I felt both honored and nervous, but I was pleased that it was received positively.

For something related to teaching French, nothing makes me happier than seeing students who took my classes join the short-term program in Strasbourg or participate in year-long exchange programs and gradually adapt to life in France. I once ran into a former student who had been living there for a few years, and they seemed to really be thriving. Meeting graduates who now work in fields related to France or French-speaking countries and seeing them happy in their chosen paths gives me a sense of having made a small difference.

Q: How do you usually spend your weekends? Any favorite ways to recharge?

Every weekend, I attend karate practice. I have been training since my student days and have been going to the same dojo since arriving in Japan. I enjoy how karate lets me clear my mind. Although karate—intense and a bit violent—is quite different from the world of research, they share a common element: perseverance. One major difference though is that, in sparring, if you make a mistake or slack off, you face immediate consequences! (laughs). I also really value the relationships that I have made at the dojo; being able to have these experiences in Japan is something I truly cherish.

Q: What are your goals moving forward?

I plan to continue my current research. I am currently working on two books, one on geographical indications and one on the concept of returning to the land. Even if I move back to France in the future, I want to help promote cultural understanding and keep building bridges between France and Japan. I also want to convey just how important learning foreign languages is for understanding other countries. There is a tendency in Japan, and unfortunately, increasingly in France as well, to treat English as the sole international language. In countries where English is not commonly spoken, however, communication in English only reaches a superficial level.

You need to understand Japanese to understand Japan; you need to understand French to understand France and so on. This is essential to establish direct communication. I intend to keep contributing to this goal, even in my own small way.

This article was originally published in Japanese on February 8, 2024, and some information may not be up to date. It has been translated and edited for clarity and readability by the International Communications Office while preserving the original content’s intent. For the Japanese article, please see here.