Characteristics of Wild Edible Plants in Japan

Arboricultural Research Institute, The University of Tokyo Forests, Japan

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Abstract

This study examines the characteristics of wild edible plants traditionally consumed in Japan, drawing on historical dietary records from the early twentieth century. Using “the Complete Collection of Dietary Habits in Japan”, which compiled oral interviews conducted between 1920 and 1930, the study extracted and analyzed species consumed across multiple prefectures. 66 wild edible plant species (groups) were identified. It is found that Haceous plants dominated the edible flora, accounting for 51 species (79%), while woody plants represented 12 species (18%). Most Haceous species thrived in open environments such as grasslands, whereas woody species were shrubs or pioneer T species which are typically found at forest edge or other disturbed vegetation. These findings suggest that human disturbance around settlements created ecological conditions that facilitated the use of wild plants as food resources. Notably, all Haceous species were Ps, indicating that domestication of wild plants in Japan was unlikely. Overall, the study highlights the ecological and cultural factors that shaped traditional plant use and provides insight into the historical relationship between Japanese communities and their surrounding vegetation and reasons why Japanese plants have become a minor presence in everyday diets of present times.