An extreme image of black-color food, plus or minus?

Oita Godo Newspaper (page 4, evening edition on May 14, 2008)

         The first time “a black-color food” is talked about, people tend to make dubious faces due to these 2 reasons.  First, it is hard to imagine specific appearances of goods. Second, there is almost nothing in a connection between the words “black” and “positive feeling.”

         Nonetheless, several foods made of black pork, black rice, black sesame, etc. can be seen everywhere unsurprisingly.  Most of them, moreover, seem well accepted by consumers. Does it mean black color is not as bad as it sounds?

         Actually, using of black color is extremely between plus and minus image. Still, a number of people presuming that it is a next step of civilization seems rising.

         In real life, “Black” is deemed relating to “fear”, “magic”, “frightful territory”, “darkness”, etc. It is often used in groups’ names in order to frighten others or send a message that “I am a strong and scary existence”, such as “Black Empire”.  On the other hand in reality, black is a color that absorbs the powerful wavelength from the sun.

         Nowadays, commodities and services which make use of black as a concept pursuing the civilization have widely spread in our daily lives.  For example, you can see it at an onsen in Saga prefecture.

Comment:    I just think that black color looks interesting and new when it became a new favor or new style of commodity/service. The idea of “fear” or “scary darkness” seem getting far away from the image of black color in today’s trade.

PUNTHUCHAT Siripun

Thailand

APS3, Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University