1.
gathering wild vegetables; foraging for mountain plants
The activity of going into mountains or forests to collect edible wild plants such as ferns, bamboo shoots, and wild garlic. A popular seasonal activity in rural Japan, especially in spring.
春になると山菜採りに行く。
When spring comes, I go foraging for wild vegetables.
祖父は毎年山菜採りを楽しみにしている。
My grandfather looks forward to wild vegetable foraging every year.
山菜採りに出かけたが、熊の目撃情報があったので途中で引き返した。
I went out to forage for wild vegetables, but there were reports of bear sightings, so I turned back halfway.
USAGE:
山菜採り is a popular spring activity in rural Japan, especially in the Tohoku and Hokuriku regions. Common 山菜 (wild vegetables) include 蕨 (bracken fern), 蕗 (butterbur), たらの芽 (aralia sprouts), and 行者にんにく (wild garlic).
SAFETY NOTE:
山菜採り can be dangerous due to bears, steep terrain, and poisonous look-alike plants. Every year there are news reports of accidents during foraging season.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 山菜採りに行く (to go foraging)
- 山菜採りに出かける (to set out for foraging)
- 山菜採りのシーズン (foraging season)
RELATED WORDS:
- 山菜: wild mountain vegetables
- 潮干狩り: clam digging (another seasonal gathering activity)
- きのこ狩り: mushroom hunting