A global movement known as Slow Food brings together activists and local groups with the shared objective of ensuring that everyone has access to good, clean and fair food.
The origins of slow food can be traced back to March 1986 in Italy, when a fast-food restaurant's opening close to Rome's Spanish Steps provoked widespread protests. The Slow Food movement has developed worldwide through its ever-expanding network of grassroots activists, establishing itself in over 160 countries.
Slow Food thinks that food is interconnected with various aspects of our lives, including culture, politics, agriculture, fisheries, the natural environment, and more.
Our food choices have the potential to impact the world by influencing how food is produced, supplied, and consumed.
Slow Food Ryukyus is one of over 2,000 local communities in the Slow Food global network. It serves as the focal point of the local Slow Food movement and a hub for community-based initiatives.
As of 2023, the organization's primary operations are centered around Yanbaru (northern Okinawa Island), Miyako, and Yaeyama in Okinawa Prefecture, where active members live.
Slow Food Ryukyus is a convivium of Slow Food Nippon, an organization that promotes the Slow Food movement in Japan.
The Ryukyu Islands were separated from the continent by crustal movement around 2 million years ago and developed into the islands we see today. Animals introduced from the continent have evolved into endemic species as a result of the ocean's separation, and each island's unique topography and geology supports a rich biodiversity.
We are aiming to maintain the region's traditional cuisine and conserve high-quality goods so that all living creatures can continue to thrive in this diverse natural environment.
Traditional Ryukyuan cuisine represents wisdom accumulated over many years in a challenging environment. Nature's blessings in each season, dishes passed down in the community and at home, and gatherings around these foods provide comfort to people.
To carry on the traditions and cultures that our ancestors have long sustained to future generations, we engage in educational activities that cultivate a sense of appreciation for Ryukyuan food and taste via experiences that expand awareness of food.
We think that understanding where, why, how, and by whom our food is produced can influence our everyday food choices and impact our future.
We carry out outreach initiatives to increase awareness about the importance of the diversity and uniqueness of each region's traditional culinary culture and the people who support it.
In order to guarantee that everyone has access to Good, Clean, and Fair Ryukyuan food, we will bring attention to significant challenges related to traditional foods and collaborate with both the private and public sectors to implement solutions.
