Begin Japanology
Season 5 Episode 13 - Wild Vegetables
Wild vegetables have long been served at the Japanese dining table. With their great variety and low calorie count, they have recently become popular as health foods. But they also play important roles in long-established annual and seasonal rituals. In the 18th century, during a period of famine, one feudal lord realized that although crops were not sprouting, wild vegetables were. He commissioned a guidebook that gave people life-saving advice on how to gather and eat plants found in the wild. Wild vegetables don't only grow in the wilderness; some people enjoy gathering them in urban areas. There are even schools that share traditional knowledge about wild vegetables with their students. On this edition of BEGIN Japanology, our theme is wild vegetables. We'll see how Japan's food culture has embraced what nature has to offer.
Episodes in Season 5
Ekiden
28 min
Batteries
28 min
Cafes
28 min
Hot Water Bottles and Pocket Warmers
28 min
Ikebana
28 min
Excavators
28 min
Woods & Forests
28 min
Japanophiles - Dhugal Lindsay
28 min
Japanophiles - Richard Emmert
28 min
Japanophiles - Art Lee
28 min
Japanophiles - Philip Harper
28 min
Kabuki
28 min
Wild Vegetables
28 min
Horses
28 min
Massage Chairs
28 min
Shikoku Pilgrimage
28 min
Regional Fast Food
28 min
Department Stores
28 min
Kimonos
28 min
Aquariums
28 min
Confectionery
28 min
Dolls
28 min
Moss
28 min
High School Baseball
28 min
Planetariums
28 min
Japanophiles - Adam Booth
28 min
Japanophiles - Dave Spector
28 min
Japanophiles - Euan Craig
28 min
Shamisen
28 min
Crested Ibises
28 min
Abalone
28 min
Tokyo Station
28 min
Tokyo Skytree
28 min
Tokyo Bay
28 min
Potatoes, Taros, and Yams
28 min
Name Seals
28 min
Mushrooms
28 min
Vending Machines
28 min
Scissors
28 min
Satsuma Mandarins
28 min
Gift-giving
28 min
