Are you familiar with bamboo?
In Japan, bamboo grows wild almost everywhere.
However, in the world, bamboo is not often seen outside of East Asia (including Japan and China), Southeast Asia, parts of South America, and Africa.
Therefore, for people living in English-speaking countries, bamboo is an extraordinary and very rare plant, often seen as a symbol of Asian culture.
Today, I’d like to summarize some interesting facts about bamboo.
Is Bamboo a Tree or Grass?
Bamboo has a hard trunk (known as a “culm”) that can reach a height of 20 meters and has a lifespan of around 20 years.
Although it looks like a type of tree, bamboo is actually a plant that belongs to the grass family.
There is some debate over whether it should be classified as a tree or grass, but the prevailing theory treats it as a type of perennial grass.
Beautiful Bamboo Groves
There are many beautiful bamboo groves across Japan that are worth visiting.
Among the most magnificent are the “Bamboo Forest Path” in Arashiyama, Kyoto, where tens of thousands of bamboo stalks grow thickly;
the 1.8-kilometer bamboo path in the northwest of Muko City, Kyoto Prefecture;
and the Hokokuji Temple in Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture, known as the “Bamboo Temple.”
In my home prefecture of Gunma, we hold light-up events in the bamboo groves at the Takayama-sha Sericulture School, a World Heritage site.
Bamboo groves grow naturally all over the country, so just taking a leisurely stroll through the countryside or satoyama (village forest) areas of Japan will bring you to these serene bamboo forests.
Spring Delicacy: Bamboo Shoots
In Japan, a country with four distinct seasons, we have a culture of cherishing seasonal ingredients known as “shun.”
From spring to early summer, bamboo shoots (takenoko) are in season.
Bamboo shoots are the young sprouts that come from the underground stems of bamboo.
Their unique, fresh, and crunchy texture makes bamboo shoots irreplaceable in various dishes.
They are enjoyed in many ways, such as simmered with wakame seaweed (also in season in spring) in a dish called “wakatake-ni,” mixed in rice, or even served as sashimi when particularly fresh.
Bamboo shoots are also famously used in “menma,” a popular topping for ramen, loved by many overseas visitors.
Traditional Japanese Craft: Bamboo Work
Bamboo, being lightweight, flexible, easy to process, and durable, is used in various items such as utensils, daily goods, interiors, accessories, and crafts.
If you try the famous kushikatsu in Osaka, the skewers are made of bamboo.
In a tea ceremony, the whisk used to mix matcha is made of bamboo.
When you eat zaru soba or zaru udon, the tray is made of woven bamboo.
Even the basket provided in inns for use when going to the hot spring is often made of bamboo.
During your travels in Japan, you will undoubtedly encounter and benefit from bamboo products in many small ways.
You can also find bamboo products such as fans and chopsticks at the airport. Why not pick up a souvenir made of bamboo as a memory of your trip to Japan?
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