also: コメばなれ
shift away from rice consumption; declining interest in eating rice
Refers to the trend, especially among younger Japanese, of eating less rice as dietary habits diversify. Often used in discussions of agriculture, food culture, or health.
As young people shift away from rice, rice consumption is declining.
One cause of the shift away from rice is the spread of bread and noodles.
Standard kanji spelling.
Katakana spelling of the 米 part, sometimes used for emphasis or in media.
Compound of 米 (こめ, 'rice') and 離れ (ばなれ, 'separation, distancing'), from the verb 離れる (はなれる, 'to separate'). The ばなれ reading is a rendaku form.