They’re good for you and full of protein and fiber. But not everyone’s down for eating crickets – even in powdered form. One high school in Japan found that out the hard way this week when its experiments with insect protein went viral.
The city of Komatsushima’s West Komatsushima High School in Tokushima Prefecture started the experiment last year. The idea came from staff member Tada Kanako after she saw students making a game of eating dried crickets – and actually liking them once they tried them.
Tada ran the first experiment last year in November. Cafeteria staff made pumpkin croquettes with cricket powder used as the protein in place of ground meat. The school made the replacement voluntary and some 170 students gave it a go.
It was the first time in Japan that a school had used cricket powder or any other insect-based product in school lunches. Some students professed initial reluctance but ultimately gave the flavor of the insect croquettes high marks.
So the school ran a second experiment, with an eye towards making it a more permanent offering.

And that’s when all hell broke loose. It started with parents complaining that some kids might have allergic reactions to the bugs and questioning the powder’s safety. But others recoiled at the very idea of kids being “forced” to eat insects.
Planning a trip to Japan? Get an authentic, interpreted experience from Unseen Japan Tours and see a side of the country others miss!

"Noah [at Unseen Japan] put together an itinerary that didn’t lock us in and we could travel at our own pace. In Tokyo, he guided us personally on a walking tour. Overall, he made our Japan trip an experience not to forget." - Kate and Simon S., Australia


We hate paywalls. Our content remains both free and fiercely independent. If you love the values we stand for and want to help us expand our coverage of Japan, consider a recurring or one-time donation to the Unseen Japan Journalism Fund today.
Online reactions echo this sentiment. “Kids won’t really go against what their teachers say, so you’re making them all eat it,” one complained. “I guess this is the age we live in now,” another lamented.
Tokushima Prefecture’s Education Committee emphasized to the media that it performed the experiment with the full consent of students. It also denied it formally endorsed the experiment or had plans to introduce it across all prefectural schools.
So far, the school has received 20 official complaints, with many demanding to know whether the school would force students to eat cricket croquettes. The prefectural school committee denies any such machinations.
Support independent media
UJ depends on the support of our readers to keep our content 100% free for everyone. Help us in our mission to create content about the Japan you don’t learn about in anime with a recurring or one-time donation to the UJ Journalism Fund.
What to read next

We Tried Pizza Hut Japan’s New Shoyu Ramen Pizza, Because Why Not?
What do you get when you dump a bowl of ramen on top of a pizza crust? UJ decided to take one for the team and find out.

Lawson’s “Transparent Flan” Is Japan Combini’s Latest Fun Offering
It’s a dessert you can literally see through. Lawson tries to keep its lucky marketing streak going with its latest oddity.

Kinoko, Takenoko to Get Smaller as Shrinkflation Continues to Terrorize Japan
Are you a Kinoko no Yama fan or a Takenoko no Sato fan? It doesn’t matter – either way, you’re gonna get less than what you paid for.
Sources
「子供に食べさせるな」コオロギ粉末給食に苦情殺到 試食2回提供の高校困惑「誤解されている」. J-Cast News