Shrooming
October 2, 2004
| I used to collect wild mushrooms
when I lived in Cornwall, and I knew a few other people who did
too, but I doubt there is anywhere in the world where more people
look forward to the mushroom season than in Japan.I am not yet familiar
with all the species here, so my guide is Morita-san, my next door
neighbor. We drive up into the mountains between Ichiyama and Nagatani
and park on a logging road. The mushrooms we are going after today
are Matsutake. Matsu means Pine, so not surprisingly matsutake grow
under pine trees. |
 |
 |
| There is no trail to speak of,
we just follow a steep ridge up the mountain. The mountains here
are very steep, so pulling oneself up by grabbing onto trees is
the norm. When the mountains are not seeded with Sugi (Japanese
Cedar) they are covered with dense undergrowth, so Morita-san leads
the way with his machete. Even so, my hand and forearms are soon
blooded with scratches. In the end Morita -san is disappointed as
we find no matsutake, but we do find plenty of other species, 2
of which are edible, kotake and nezumitake, so we end up with about
a pound of food and a very pleasant full body workout. |
 |
 |
|
|
|
