Recently, it has become rare, but if you go a little deeper into the mountains, you will find shibaguri. Even if I find such a chestnut, there is no piece of bur in the low places, who must have dropped it first. I found a stick nearby, stretched out, and finally dropped a small number of chestnuts. I took it home thinking that it would be a good material for chestnut rice.  Shibakuri, also known as Yamaguri, is a chestnut that grows wild in the mountains and has been used as food since the Jomon period.  They are about half the size of chestnuts sold at stores, but they have a unique sweetness that makes me go to the mountains because I can’t forget the taste.  It is also sold by mail order, but it is expensive.  Many people are attracted to this flavor.

最近はめっきり少なくなりましたが、少し山深く入ると柴栗を見かけます。そんな柴栗をせっかく見つけても、先に誰が落としたのか、低い所にはイガのかけらもありません。近くで棒切れを見つけ、背伸びしてやっと落とした栗の数は僅か。形ばかりの栗ご飯にはなるだろうと思って持ち帰った次第。柴栗は山栗とも呼ばれ、古くは縄文時代から食用とされてきた山に自生している栗です。店で売っている栗の半分位の大きさですが、独特の甘味があり、この味が忘れられず山に行くのです。通販でも売っていますが高い高い。この味に惹きつけられる人が多いんでしょうね。