Aoyama Gakuin University, 5-10-1 Fuchinobe, Chuo-Ku, Sagamihara-Shi, Kanagawa, 252-5258, Japan.
J Ethnobiol Ethnomed. 2024 Nov 21;20(1):100. doi: 10.1186/s13002-024-00736-2.
Japan, which has a diverse climate, is home to 8118 species of wild vascular plants, with more than 1000 of these species considered edible. However, there are fewer studies on the use of wild food plants in Japan than in other parts of the world. This research aims to provide an ethnobotanical review of the traditional food use of wild plants in Japan. It draws upon the largest database of traditional Japanese foodways, with a specific focus on the period approximately 1930. This occurred prior to Japan's rapid economic growth, which resulted in significant changes in the use of wild plants.
The use of wild food plants in Japan was reviewed by studying the collection of Japanese foodways (Nihon no shokuseikatsu zenshu), which is the largest database on Japanese traditional foodways and contains records of approximately 52,000 dishes, including food uses of wild plants. The review extracted the local and common names, use locations, uses, processing and cooking methods, habitats and other relevant details pertaining to the reported use of wild food plants. This information was subsequently analyzed via Excel.
A total of 268 taxa belonging to 87 families used in Japan approximately 1930 were documented. Asteraceae was the most frequently reported family as well as the most species-rich family. In terms of use, vegetables composed the largest group, followed by dessert fruits. The majority of species have been documented in only a limited number of reports. The review revealed local traditional uses of plants, including the use of plants as binders for making rice cake, the selection of plants according to their sex, and techniques for detoxifying toxic plants.
A comparison with those of previous studies on wild species used in other Asian regions revealed a similar preference for vegetables. However, notably, in Japan, ferns are also consumed in considerable quantities. Conversely, further elucidation is clearly needed with respect to certain matters, including the perception of plant sex and the relationships between diverse ash components and detoxification techniques. It is evident that further ethnobotanical research is needed, both in the form of an examination of ethnographic records and in the field, to gain a deeper understanding of the use of wild food plants in Japan.
日本气候多样，拥有 8118 种野生维管束植物，其中有 1000 多种被认为可食用。然而，与世界其他地区相比，日本对野生食用植物的研究较少。本研究旨在对日本野生植物传统食用进行民族植物学综述。本研究以日本饮食方式的最大数据库为基础，重点关注大约 1930 年前后的时期。这一时期发生在日本经济快速增长之前，在此期间，野生植物的使用发生了重大变化。
通过研究日本饮食方式（Nihon no shokuseikatsu zenshu），对日本野生食用植物的使用情况进行了综述，这是日本传统饮食方式最大的数据库，包含了大约 52000 道菜的记录，其中包括野生植物的食用用途。该综述提取了当地和通用名称、使用地点、用途、加工和烹饪方法、栖息地以及与报告的野生食用植物使用相关的其他详细信息。随后，使用 Excel 对这些信息进行了分析。
记录了 1930 年左右日本使用的 268 个属 87 科的植物。菊科是最常被报道的科，也是物种最丰富的科。就用途而言，蔬菜构成了最大的组，其次是甜点水果。大多数物种仅在有限的报告中被记录。该综述揭示了植物的当地传统用途，包括用植物作为年糕的粘合剂，根据植物的性别选择植物，以及解毒有毒植物的技术。
与亚洲其他地区野生物种的先前研究进行比较发现，人们对蔬菜的偏好相似。然而，值得注意的是，在日本，蕨类植物的食用量也相当大。相反，在某些方面显然需要进一步阐明，包括对植物性别的认识以及不同灰分成分和解毒技术之间的关系。显然，需要进一步进行民族植物学研究，包括对民族志记录的检查和实地研究，以更深入地了解日本野生食用植物的使用情况。
