I served fresh bamboo shoot to the guests for my cooking class from late in April to early in May. The main season is depend on the area and prefecture through Japan. First, the bamboo shoot arrive in grocery stores in Tokyo around the first week of April, and followed by Tokyo area, then Tohoku, north area in mid of May.
The edible tender hearts covered with layers of hard shells.
After the hard shells has been removed, the tender hearts will be cooked in plenty of water with rice husk for about 1.5 hours. The rice husk remove the bamboo's bitterness and unpleasant taste.
After cooked the bamboo then rinse well and cook with rice.
We eat bamboo rice to cerebrate coming of spring.
