A fukinotou (Butterbur shoot) is growing now.

This is a fukinotou (literally translated, a Butterbur shoot) growing in the nearby place that was originally a farm but now left unattended.

A fukinotou is a familiar edible wild plant that can be harvested in early spring and has a little bitter taste. 

But, these fukinotou are getting unfolded and starting to bloom now, so it seems to be too late to eat. 

Yesterday, I bought two packs of immature fukinotou at the Farmer's Market and ate them as tempura. It was delicious.

I asked a woman who happened to line up packages of fukinotou at the store, Where have you harvested fukinotou?

She replied that she simply collected those that were growing on a sunny bank beside a river. 

The following photo is an immature fukinotou that is just coming out from the ground.　It's suitable for cooking.  I recommend that fukinotou should be harvested at this stage. By the way, the photos shown below were taken in my field last year.

I posted the new blog about a fukinotou and other two familiar edible wild plants in June 2025.  Please take a look at the blog if it's possible.

https://mikepon.blogspot.com/2025/06/three-major-edible-wild-plants-in-japan.html