[Event Report] Osaka Public University × Nagaoka University of Technology J-PEAKS Joint Event “Cooking / TAKU”

On Wednesday, June 17, 2026, the J-PEAKS joint event “TAKU” was held at Osaka Public University’s I-site Namba, co-hosted by Nagaoka University of Technology and Osaka Public University.

This event is part of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology’s “Project to Strengthen Regional Core and Distinctive Research Universities (J-PEAKS).” It aims to strengthen collaboration between the two universities and “rethink the value of rice through fermented food culture, leading to the development of new industries.” The “TAKU Project” has been held four times to date, primarily in the Kanto region, but this marks its first event in the Kansai region.
　Under the theme “Nagaoka’s Traditions (Rice and Fermentation) × Osaka’s Sophistication (Dashi and Food Culture),” this event aimed to create a new food culture that transcends regional boundaries. This event brought together corporate representatives, researchers, and stakeholders from Nagaoka and Osaka across a wide range of fields, including agriculture, fermentation, manufacturing, media, tourism, and international expansion.

■Part 1: Nagaoka and Osaka—A Relay Discussion with 20 Participants
　Professor Wataru Ogasawara of Nagaoka University of Technology and Professor Shuji Yokoi of Osaka Metropolitan University served as moderators, and the 20 participants introduced themselves and took part in a relay-style discussion. University representatives presented their latest research, while corporate representatives introduced their businesses, and multifaceted insights on fermentation, dashi, and food culture were shared in a relay-style format. Many participants could be seen listening intently while taking diligent notes.

■Part 2: “Cooking” Workshop
　We held a workshop titled ”The Science and Technology of Cooking Delicious Rice,” featuring Junichi Shirai of the “rice-cooking” food unit “Gohan Alliance” as the instructor. The workshop explored the depth of the everyday act of “cooking rice” from a scientific perspective, and participants deepened their understanding of the techniques while observing a live rice-cooking demonstration up close.

■総括と今後の展望
　2025 年度に全4 回にわたり東京および⻑岡で重ねてきたTAKU PJは、「⼈が出会い、集い、共
有し、繋がる」ハブとしての役割を果たしてきました。2026 年度初めのイベントが、ジョイント
イベントとなり、⻑岡の「発酵・⽶」と⼤阪の「出汁・伝統」を結ぶ、さらなる地域間連携の実
装へと流れを繋ぐ⼀歩となりました。
「同じ釜の飯を⾷べる」というコンセプトのもと、体験と対話をセットにすることで、分野や⽴
場を越えた本質的なコミュニケーションが⾃然な形で⽣まれました。参加者がそれぞれの現場に
持ち帰る次のアクションへ意識が接続される、⾮常に熱量のある有意義な時間となりました。
今後も、⼈と⼈、想いと実践を繋ぐ場として、TAKU PJの内容と場の質を⼀層充実させ、さらな
る展開を⽬指してまいります。