"What is this?" I found while walking around Otaru

"Hello," from behind...

I was curious about the tall plants on the Temiya Line Okunami-Omote, so I went back to the area to look closely at the grass, when an old man (80 years old) out for a walk called out to me.

"Brother, are you interested in that weed? It's called Japanese knotweed. Right after the war, when there was nothing to eat, we would boil the new shoots and eat them. Apparently it was also used as medicine. It grows everywhere. It's nasty. Why are you interested in something like that? You're so weird, bro."

At first he looked at me with a quizzical look, but the old man continued talking to himself, and even though I wasn't listening, he told me all sorts of things, including about Japanese knotweed, his childhood after the war, the history of Otaru, and his own work. He was a former Japanese National Railways employee who had also worked as a conductor on the Temiya Line.

Me: "By the way, what does itadori taste like?"

Grandpa: "Oh no... I didn't eat it. My grandpa said he did."

Me: "Ahh... (So he didn't even eat it! I thought to myself.)"

While we were having this exchange with no punch line... if you look closely, you'll see that Japanese knotweed has thin bamboo-like fibers and nodes. I wonder if the new shoots really look like bamboo shoots.

By the way, it is said that the name "Itadori" came from the fact that it has medicinal properties that ease the pain of wounds.

Common name: Grandpa Temiya

Things to do in Otaru

If you come to Otaru, Hokkaido, we'd like to introduce you to some hidden tourist spots and good luck spots that you should visit.

[Tourist attractions]

Blue Cave Otaru Aquarium Hanazono Area

Banking district Sakaimachi Shopping Street Night view of Otaru

Otaru Canal Cruise Sushi Street

[Historic Buildings]

【market】

[Our temple]

[Historic sites]

【landscape】

【shop】

[Restaurant]

Otaru Tourism Category List

Otaru Tourism Portal Homepage