Elixir of Eternal Life Or Libation to Ethnic Spirits: the Meanings of Tea in Japan
The present paper explores the cultural meanings of Japanese tea and its consumption rite to Japanese consumers. Anthropologists contend meals serve as statements about society, issues, class, or other things that are considered significant in the culture. Nevertheless, relatively few studies in consumer research have investigated food and beverage as a metaphor of culture and self identities of the social groups. Based on the interpretive study, we find Japanese tea serve as a metaphor for Japanese culture: collective self, nature and nostalgic past, and irreplaceable part of life that is analogous to rice.
Citation:
Yuko Minowa (2005) ,"Elixir of Eternal Life Or Libation to Ethnic Spirits: the Meanings of Tea in Japan", in E - European Advances in Consumer Research Volume 7, eds. Karin M. Ekstrom and Helene Brembeck, Goteborg, Sweden : Association for Consumer Research, Pages: 262-267.
Authors
Yuko Minowa, Long Island University
Volume
E - European Advances in Consumer Research Volume 7 | 2005
Share Proceeding
Featured papers
See MoreFeatured
Pro-Environmental Waste Receptacle Labeling Can Increase Recycling Contamination
Jesse R. Catlin, California State University, Sacramento
Yitong Wang, University of Technology Sydney
Rommel J. Manuel, California State University, Sacramento
Featured
O11. Have Less, Compromise Less: How the perception of resource scarcity influences compromise decisions
Kate Kooi, University of Miami, USA
Caglar Irmak, University of Miami, USA
Featured
Cultural Values and Consumers’ Brand Preference
Jessie J. Wang, Miami University, Ohio
Ashok K Lalwani, Indiana University, USA
Devon DelVecchio, Miami University, Ohio