A report on “Insect Gourmet Festival vol.0,” where the much-talked-about “edible insects,” gaining attention as sustainable food, gathered at Tokyo Station! [A New Form of the SDGs]

Hello! My name isOkunuki, and I joined SUNNY SIDE UP as a new graduate this April.

In this article, we will share highlights from “Insect Gourmet Festival vol.0,” held over four days from Thursday, November 26 to Sunday, November 29, 2020, at the event space “Square Zero” inside Tokyo Station.

At our company, we established the “Insect Gourmet Festival Executive Committee” to continuously share the appeal of edible insects and to help establish a new food category called “insect cuisine.”

As the first initiative of these activities, we decided to hold “Insect Gourmet Festival Vol.0,” where visitors can enjoy a wide variety of edible insects all at once.

Cricket rice crackers released by MUJI this May became a major topic of conversation, and edible insects are drawing renewed attention as highly nutritious ingredients—“sustainable food”—with “cricket food” also ranking in Nikkei TRENDY’s 2021 hit predictions.

With a new option, “insect cuisine,” entering food cultures we have long been familiar with—such as meat, fish, and vegetables—edible insects are driving greater diversity in what we eat.

With the aim of promoting food diversity as a “new form of the SDGs,” we planned this event.

We invited curiosity-driven visitors who wanted to experience something they had never encountered before to enjoy these trending edible insects—so here is a look at what it was like!

*If you are uncomfortable with photos of insects, please refrain from viewing the content below…

A major gathering of shops specializing in insect cuisine

The event brought together five vendors in total: the unique izakaya “Chojumushi Izakaya Kome to Circus,” the edible-insect specialty shop “Konchushoku TAKEO,” “Hamaru Shokuhin,” which handles insect ingredients, and a collaboration shop between the university-launched venture “FUTURENAUT” and edible-insect activist Kazuki, as well as the official kitchen supervised by insect-cuisine researcher Shoichi Uchiyama, who also joined this event as a special advisor. Below are some of the items that were sold.

■ Chojumushi Izakaya Kome to Circus

Three-hamburger tasting set: cricket, venison, and beef pork

Although it is called mixed ground meat, it is not beef × pork, but “cricket × venison” mixed ground meat. All three hamburgers—the cricket-only version, the cricket × beef pork version, and the cricket × venison version—pair exceptionally well with salt. The subtle, slightly crunchy texture of the crickets was surprisingly addictive!

■ Konchushoku TAKEO

Giant water bug soda

This giant water bug soda is so clear that, once you remove the packaging, you can hardly tell it is an edible-insect product. It features an aroma like green apple and is reportedly made by extracting pheromones from giant water bugs! With a fruity taste, it is an easy-to-drink beverage.

■ FUTURENAUT

Sweet red bean soup with cricket powder + matcha gaufrette

Because it is hard to tell it is an edible-insect product just by looking at it, we felt it was an item that even first-timers could try with ease. The gaufrettes were also sold as boxed products, and many people purchased them as souvenirs.

■ Hamaru Shokuhin

Butter sauté of sago worms and giant hornet larvae

With an outstanding visual impact, this item was so popular that crowds formed in front of the shop! The butter-soy sauce seasoning and texture make it an irresistible dish.

■ Official Kitchen

Bee larva rice ball set

The bee larva rice balls, with a flavor reminiscent of glutinous rice, are perfect when you need a quick bite. The set also includes cricket soup and silkworm frass tea, and many customers were delighted by the indulgence of being able to enjoy three types of edible insects in a single product!

We look forward to seeing even more of edible insects, which are likely to attract attention as a new option in food culture going forward!

Author:

Public Relations Division, Department 2
Takeru Okunuki

PR representative for “Insect Gourmet Festival.” Joined SUNNY SIDE UP as a new graduate in April 2020. Currently, in addition to Insect Gourmet Festival, also handles PR work across a wide range of fields. Works hard every day while studying the media. Favorite edible-insect food: “bee larva rice balls.”