Japanese food is attracting worldwide attention not only for its taste and healthiness, but also for being registered in UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list as well as attention to the food scene due to popularity of Japanese animation. However, as Japanese people's eating habits become more westernized, there are concerns that the consumption of Japanese food will decline. Studies have reported that increased immigration, economic globalization, and food industry strategies contribute to changing food culture. This study introduced a new factor: an increase in commuting time due to urbanization. We applied a propensity score based on an online survey of 800 workers in their 20s and 60s in Japan. The results revealed that when commuting time exceeds one hour, the consumption of Japanese food in the morning decreases. While Japanese food is healthy, it takes time to prepare; therefore, people might give up on Japanese food if they have less free time. Moreover, the negative effects were more pronounced among those who commuted by car than by train. Notably, this is because driving to work on a daily basis feels more like work than a pleasure. Local food is a unique culture not found in other countries and is a valuable tourism resource. To protect this culture, it is necessary to recognize that the negative effects of urbanization include a decline in food culture.