As I mentioned at the beginning, Bekambe was collected for food. This time, we were specially treated to some of the collected bekambe. First of all, we boiled it, peeled off the shell directly, and ate the fruit.

Bekambe collected

Shelled bekambe. The white part is the fruit.

This "bekambe" is really excellent! The texture and taste are similar to chestnuts, with a slightly sweet aroma that spreads in the mouth and a very elegant flavor. The berries vary from soft to crunchy, and can be eaten as a snack for children or as edamame for adults.

Bekambe Oshiruko (sweet red bean soup)

The best of all was the oshiruko (sweet red bean soup) made by Bekambe! This was also made by Mr. Tosa, and the natural sweetness of the bekambe was concentrated and very tasty. （I personally liked it better than regular oshiruko.) It is a very tasty Bekambe oshiruko, which is a big hit with her grandchildren, who will want to eat it again and again.

The reason why I asked Mr. Tosa to take pictures of bekambe collection this time was completely for my personal reason. Bekambe collecting, which has been continued by the Ainu people living in Tangji, is now in between whether it will survive or not. Maybe 100 or 200 years from now, this scene will become a thing of the past. With this thought in mind, I wanted to record Tanggu in 2022 as it is now.

Bekambe collecting in Lake Tangji

It suddenly occurred to me that I might be seeing the same scene as 100 years ago. The history of Bekambe collecting in Lake Tangji has been continued without any change of collecting method or technique.

I thought it might be very rude to photograph Mr. Tosa, who is living "now", from such a historical point of view. I was also very puzzled to write an article about him. However, when Mr. Tosa kindly agreed to allow me to write this article, my feelings were solidified. The scene I saw is what is taking place now, and it is Mr. Tosa's life's work every year. It is not something from the past, but something that has a history and is being done "now. Being in touch with the culture, being able to photograph it, and eating bekambe were all valuable experiences for me.

They were very friendly during the shoots, and the shooting went smoothly. I was even treated to becambe, and I am truly indebted to everyone at the Tosa family. Thank you very much.

How was my visit to Shibecha? There are still many historic cultures and stories to be told in Shibecha. I feel it is my responsibility to document them. I am an immigrant, but because I am an immigrant, I have an interest in the area, and I believe that I can communicate to the outside world from an outside perspective in a positive sense. I intend to continue this kind of coverage in the future.

Lake Tangji will be dyed with autumn leaves next month. Why don't you visit the historic Lake Tangji?

Mr. Tosa who introduced us this time is usually engaged in outdoor canoeing business. He also offers a valuable tour to go down the headwaters of Kushiro wetland with detailed explanation about various plants and animals in Tangji, so please visit there.