IGS Seminar will be held as follows.
■ Date and time: 10:30 - 12:00 on Tuesday, December 9, 2025 
■ Venue: IAS K110
■ Lecturer: Dr. Sangkyun Kim（Associate Professor, Edith Cowan University）.
■ Language: English
■ Abstract: 
This seminar investigates the global rise of food tourism as a meaningful cultural and experiential practice. It focuses on the dynamic interplay between food, people, and place, drawing on key concepts such as local food, sense of place, and identity to explore how food-related experiences contribute to both personal and sociocultural understandings of place. The seminar argues that food tourism is a legitimate form of cultural engagement that reflects and reinforces regional distinctiveness and values. To illustrate these ideas, the seminar examines the case of Ekiben in Japan— regionally distinctive boxed meals sold at train stations. Through this lens, the seminar highlights how food tourism fosters a deeper connection to place and culture, making it a justified and enriching tourism experience.