One of the unique aspects about living in the inaka (rural Japan) is the emphasis on collecting and eating wild edibles, both from the sea and the mountainside. It was explained to me recently that Japan, as a whole, has a culture of sansai, which literally means ‘mountain side dish.’ But while city folk have a harder time accessing these plants and fungi, the practice is still carried on by those in the country. When asked if this is a dying custom, I was told that gathering wild edibles is something that young people generally don’t do, but once they reach a certain age, they start to crave the tastes of their youth and return to the practice. Of course, these days, even urbanites when facing a hankering, can turn to the internet and order all forms of sansai direct to their doorstep.
In northern Japan, where I live, the custom is alive and well. Fuki (“fu” as in “food”) is a plant that grows alongside roads and in the woods. Basically everywhere. It has big broad leaves, but is only collected for its hollow stalk. After first being “prepared” (boiled to reduce bitterness and peeled of its fibrous veins – think the stuff that gets caught in your teeth when you eat celery) it can be pickled, sautéed, or stuffed with any number of seasonings, but usually a combination of soy sauce, rice wine, and rice vinegar.