Abstract
A survey was conducted on the usage of wild grass inhabited around the field of Yashiro -cho in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. Results were summarized as follows:
1) Bracken (Pteridium aquilinum Kuhn) and Field Horsetail were known to be edible by all of the respondents. About 90% of the respondents knew that danderion (Taraxacum japonica Keidz), mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris L. var. indica Maxim), butterbur (Petasites japonicus Mig. ), and osmund (Osmunda japonica Thund) were also edible, and these wild grass were actually included in a part of their daily meals.
2) “Seasonable food”, “slightly bitter taste”, and “nice smell” were the responses to a questionnaire concerning an image of edible wild grass. On the other hand, some responded the following troubles that edible wild grasses were obtainable only a limited season, they were tough to remove “Aku” (harshness), and that their taste and smell were not favorable.
3) A method for the removal of harshness from bracken and osmund was usually performed by the soaking in ash-water, and this removal from the other grass was generally done by soaking in boild water.
