April 11, 2020 – (NOTE: When filmed, there were still no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Iwate Prefecture, where I am located, and the 3 of us getting together to forage was not thus overly irresponsible or against local government advice. The nation-wide state of emergency in Japan was declared on April 16th, 5 days later. Of course I’m practicing social isolation these days and not going to restaurants, seeing anyone, etc.)
I’ve got other foraging videos — including how to prepare wild vegetables in the kitchen — here:
On distinguishing kogomi from other ferns: Once you get used to it, the differences are really clear and there’s almost no mistaking other ferns or plants, but when making this video a friend told me that from my brief examples it was still hard to tell the difference. I can say that basically the deep green of the kogomi, the lack of hairs, and the shape itself are the distinguishing characteristics. The safest thing would just be to only go foraging with someone that is experienced and have everything you pick checked until you gain confidence.
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Alo Japan.