The Western world’s interest in foraging may come and go, but in Japan, each season brings a host of opportunities to scour forests and hillsides for the fruits (literally) of nature.
Each spring, higher elevations, forests and countryside backroads are inundated by foragers in search of mountain vegetables, fruits and berries, followed by mushrooms later in the year. Competing with animals for wild food is not without its perils, especially in bear territory, and there’s also the danger of mistaking an edible plant for one that is potentially poisonous.
This is how I found myself collecting raspberries. The hardy, thorny vines are often found in Japan’s urban areas, and raspberries don’t have many doppelgangers out in the wild, so you can be almost certain that if you come across a tendril, there’s little danger. Washing thoroughly and checking for insects is a fairly fast task, too.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.