117: Where the wild things grow — foraging in Japan w/ Winifred Bird

Winifred Bird is the author of "Eating Wild Japan," a book that goes deep into the foraging culture of Japan and contains essays on foraging, a selection of recipes and a guide to forageable plants. In her essays, Winifred touches on rural culture and decline, the state of Japan's forests and coastal areas, and the food of the indigenous Ainu people. Winifred joins Deep Dive to discuss Japan's foraging culture, and the role wild foods play in modern society.

Read more:

• Winifred's book, Eating Wild Japan • (Winifred Bird, Stone Bridge Press)

• Kris Kosaka's review, Foraging in Japan: What to eat and where to find it •

• J.J. O Donoghue's article, "Is farming in Japan on its last legs?" •

Japan's farming population falls below 2 million for first time: survey

Sponsor:

Today’s episode is sponsored by RGF Professional Recruitment Japan, the bilingual arm of Recruit, Japan and Asia's largest recruiting and information service company. Visit RGF Professional Recruitment Japan to register your resume and unleash your potential today.

On this episode:

Winifred Bird: Website

Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram

Transcript

We have recently begun experimenting with transcripts for episodes of Deep Dive. A full transcript of this episode is available on The Japan Times website. Find transcripts useful? Tips for improvement? Contact us to let us know.

Announcements:

Get in touch with Oscar and the show at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show. Rate, review and share this episode with a friend if you've enjoyed it. Follow us on Twitter, and give us feedback.

This episode of Deep Dive may be supported by advertising based on your location. Advertising is sourced by Audioboom and is not affiliated with The Japan Times.

Photo: Japan's rural populations are in decline, threatening the future of foraging culture. | iStock