Nemagari Bamboo

　In the Tohoku region and Shinshu, the term ‘bamboo shoots’ generally refers not to the commonly eaten Moso bamboo shoots, but to Kuril dwarf bamboo, commonly known as nemagari bamboo.

　It grows not in bamboo groves but in thickets of sasa (bamboo grass), and is currently in season from late May to mid-June. Whilst the tough parts need to be trimmed away, unlike Moso bamboo, there is no need to remove the bitterness, making it a mountain vegetable with a pleasant crunch. The downside is that nemagari bamboo is a favourite food of Asian black bears, so you are likely to encounter them. I once went to forage for it with a friend and, whilst in a sasa thicket, called out to what I thought was my friend, only to find it was a bear.

　Undeterred by such dangers, the landlady of Takasagoya Ryokan in Zaō Onsen served us a full course of nemagari bamboo. It is delicious whether simmered or grilled. According to the landlady, the tastiest nemagari bamboo is, unsurprisingly, found within the bears’ territory.