Children in Takatsuki City Enjoy Spring Bamboo Shoot Digging Event

On Tuesday, April 21, 2026, a spring bamboo shoot digging event was held in a bamboo grove at Ichijoji Temple in Takatsuki City. A forest volunteer group invited local preschoolers to familiarize them with the bamboo forest and nature. The children enjoyed digging for bamboo shoots with smiles on their faces while working up a sweat.

The bamboo shoot digging event was organized by 'Takatsuki Satoyama Network,' a forest volunteer group, to help children learn the importance of nature by experiencing the blessings of the satoyama (community-managed woodlands). This annual spring event has been held for over 20 years since 2004, with the cooperation of Ichijoji Temple, the owner of the bamboo grove. The bamboo shoots harvested in the Kajiwara district, where the venue is located, are known as a specialty of Takatsuki. They are characterized by their white appearance when peeled, their soft yet crunchy texture, and their unique sweetness.

On the day of the event, approximately 70 children from Goryo Certified Kodomo-en, Kajiwara Piccolo Nursery, and Wako Certified Kodomo-en participated. According to Kazumi Kato, the group's chairperson, this year's bamboo shoot crop is excellent due to moderate rainfall. Upon entering the bamboo grove, bamboo shoots peeking out from the ground greeted the children. After receiving advice from the group members to 'dig carefully starting from the surrounding soil,' the children tried their hand at digging. When they found a bamboo shoot, they cheered and worked hard with their shovels. They struggled with some that were hard to pull out but eventually succeeded with help from the members. After the harvest, they commented with smiles, 'It's hard work digging, but it's fun,' and 'It looks delicious. I want to eat it soon.'