Mr. Norihiko Tsuji of “Kyoto Tsuji Farm,” the inheritor of the brand “Shirako Bamboo Shoots,” which are as sweet as pears / Yawata City, Kyoto Prefecture

The pure white moso bamboo shoots, which are dug out before their heads come out of the ground, are called “shiroko bamboo shoots. Because they have no bitterness and are surprisingly sweet, they are often called the best in Japan, but because they are rarely sold in the market, shiroko bamboo shoots have long been considered a “phantom. The “Kyoto Tsuji Noen” has been growing these brand-name bamboo shoots, prized by high-end restaurants and first-class establishments, in the southern part of Kyoto Prefecture, where they are grown, for many generations. The farm still stubbornly maintains its time-consuming traditional farming methods. What exactly is this method of cultivation that produces such exquisite bamboo shoots?

The “Shirako Bamboo Shoots,” a fantastic brand of bamboo shoots.

The Nishiyama district, located in the southern part of Kyoto Prefecture, is known as a production center of albacore bamboo shoots. On the other side of the Yodo River is the city of Yawata, home to the national treasure Ishimizu Hachiman Shrine. The Kyoto Tsuji Farm’s bamboo grove is located in the neighborhood of the shrine.

In fact, the area around Ishimizu Hachimangu Shrine, where the farm is located, is in the same geological formation as the Nishiyama area, which is blessed with good soil quality and water sources.

Thanks to the clay soil suitable for growing bamboo shoots and the abundant water source, the farm grows superb bamboo shoots that rival those on the other side of the river.

Bamboo shoots are in the ground, and bamboo shoots are on the surface.

The underground stem of a bamboo shoot repeatedly “rises to the surface, dives underground, rises again, and dives again,” swimming around on the ground like a butterfly. Bamboo shoots are the shoots that grow from this underground stem, and those that store nutrients and swell up underground are called “bamboo shoots,” while those that emerge from the ground are called “bamboo shoots” because they grow into bamboo all at once. The difference is obvious not only in the notation, but also in the taste and texture. They are like different foods.

Bamboo shoots that have emerged from the soil defend themselves against being eaten by wild animals by spreading oxalic acid throughout their bodies. The parts of the shoots that turn black in the sun are where the less tasty ingredients gather. The moment their heads emerge from the ground, their bodies become hard and stringy in order to support their rapidly growing bodies, as well as their taste.

On the other hand, the bamboo shoots in the ground have plenty of nutrients stored in preparation for the coming growth period. Because they have not been exposed to sunlight, they do not have a harsh taste, and their flesh is still tender. Therefore, the secret to enjoying the sweet and delicious true flavor of bamboo shoots is to dig them up while they are still in the “bamboo shoot” state.

Some people may think that the smaller the better, but that is only true of bamboo shoots. In the case of albino bamboo shoots, the longer it takes to come to the surface, the more energy (sugar) is put into it from the parent bamboo, which makes it more delicious.

The size of a bamboo shoot is a barometer of its deliciousness. The large albacore bamboo shoots grown by Mr. Tsuji can be eaten raw because they have no bitterness, and their sugar content is so high that they can be mistaken for pears.

The season is from mid-March to mid-May.

Each parent bamboo shoot produces about six bamboo shoots per season, the first of which grows slowly in the ground over a period of about eight months, while the next bamboo shoot grows to the surface in about 10 days. The next bamboo shoot grows another 10 days later, and the next 10 days after that ……. In this way, the season of albacore bamboo shoots lasts for 60 days.

This is the origin of the character for “bamboo shoot. There are words like ‘early season,’ ‘mid-season,’ and ‘late season,’ and the character for ‘season’ has the meaning of ’10 days. Thus, the kanji for “bamboo shoots” was created by combining the character for “season” with the character for “bamboo canker.

The first “choko,” or long shoots, take a long time to grow, so they are packed tightly with meat. The texture of the bamboo shoots makes them suitable for dishes such as kinome-age, but they also have a strong flavor, so it is good to cut them into thin slices and use them in a soup. The best season is from mid-April to the end of April, when the flesh swells up and is soft and fresh even when bitten into. If you quickly blanch the fish and serve it as sashimi, you will be filled with the aroma of spring.

The albacore bamboo shoots have a unique crispy texture and sweetness, and are best served in a simple way.

It is not the bamboo shoots but the “environment” in which the bamboo shoots grow that makes the product.

The garden mass-produces bamboo shoots weighing more than 3 kg each and measuring more than 50 cm in length. Sometimes 1-meter class bamboo shoots are harvested, but “oversized bamboo shoots” do not exist in the natural world. This is because the underground stem of moso bamboo never dives deeper than 20 cm into the ground, so it quickly pops its head out and turns into a bamboo shoot. Therefore, the ones that appear on the market are generally of that size or smaller. So, how do they grow such large bamboo shoots?

We want to produce large bamboo shoots in the soil, so we build up the strata little by little by putting fill on top of the subterranean stems near the ground surface. This is done slowly over a period of decades.

This is the special process of traditional bamboo shoot cultivation in Kyoto. However, it is considered illegal to heap too much soil at once. This is because the ground in the bamboo grove becomes hard and compacted, and the underground bamboo shoots cannot grow well. The first time to fill the ground is after spreading fallen leaves and chips from the parent bamboos that have been cut down. A thin coating of clay soil is applied on top of the fluffy rug to keep the soil loose and soft. This makes it easier for the roots to absorb nutrients from the soil and grow into thicker and longer bamboo shoots.

When cracks appear on the hardened surface, it is time to harvest. Underneath the cracks, plump bamboo shoots are waiting to be awakened.

Bamboo shoots grow on their own, so I don’t feel like I’m “making” them. But whether the bamboo shoots grow well or not depends on the environment of this place. It is not the bamboo shoots that I am making, but the “environment” in which they grow.

Culture that has been established over many years has a meaning

While many bamboo shoot farmers are pushing forward with mechanization, Mr. Tsuji stubbornly continues to follow the teachings of his predecessors. For example, while hauling soil with a cart increases efficiency, the soil in the bamboo grove becomes compacted if heavy machinery is used to move the soil back and forth over and over again. For this reason, Kyoto Tsuji Farm still brings in soil from the neighboring forest by wheelbarrow, one cup at a time. When they work, they never return along the same route. The soil is not hardened by trampling.

The soil in the bamboo grove is tilled by hand to prevent the machine from cutting off the underground stems that crawl around in all directions. Many farmers today intentionally cut off the underground stems because they get in the way when digging bamboo shoots, but Mr. Tsuji does not approve of this either. At Tsuji Farm in Kyoto, where 40-year-old underground stems are still alive, bamboo shoots as large as 1 meter can be grown. Even in Kyoto, which is famous for its bamboo shoots, this is the only place in the world where such large bamboo shoots can be harvested. The extra-large albacore bamboo shoots are the crystallization of nearly half a century of continuous care and effort.

Dedication to the cultivation of albacore bamboo shoots

In Kyoto, where land is limited, we have been able to grow high-quality bamboo shoots by carefully tending a single bamboo grove. Although the amount of production is smaller, I believe it is a craftsman’s job to make the best products by putting in a lot of work.

When digging bamboo shoots and cultivating bamboo groves, the local people use a traditional hoe with a long blade called a “hori,” the edge of which is re-hammered every year by a blacksmith.

A culture that has been established over many years has meaning

We don’t intend to do anything special; we are simply continuing what was commonplace in the past. I want to pass on the traditional farming methods of bamboo shoot cultivation as well as this holi on a hundred-year level. Even the tools are imbued with our culture–“

The magnificent bamboo shoots grown while resisting the wave of efficiency are the result of skilled techniques and the spirit of craftsmanship. Although albacore bamboo shoots are becoming rarer and rarer with each passing year, Mr. Tsuji passionately states, “It is also my mission to continue to communicate the scenery of the production site and its delicacies.

I wish them to grow thick, long, and healthy. And may the culture that has been passed down in this region be connected to the future. With these wishes in mind, Mr. Tsuji continues to plow the bamboo grove and cultivate the soil today. His attitude shows his strong belief that the culture that has been established over the years always has a meaning.