My first encounter with bamboo began in Laos, where the locals treated me to bamboo shoot stew, a signature dish from their culture. It literally left a bitter taste in my mouth. I ate my fill though, with a forced grin on my face, not wanting to appear rude.

My impression of bamboo didn’t improve during my time in Japan, either. Apparently, the Japanese are fond of it, holding bamboo harvesting sessions and feasting on たけのこご飯　(takenoko gohan aka bamboo shoot rice). While it mercifully tasted less bitter than its Laotian counterpart, it still didn’t appeal to me. Again, bamboo was something that I would just eat for the sake of others.

Although I didn’t take to bamboo dishes, I was drawn to Kumamoto’s illumination festivals, in which bamboo sculptures contrasted poetically against the night. You don’t have to visit a night festival to be captivated by bamboo sculptures though. Kumamoto Airport proudly displays them: https://diaperfinancingfund.blogspot.com/2024/12/bamboo-carving-at-kumamoto-airport.html?m=1.

In the four years since I have become a primary school teacher, I found myself developing a newfound respect for bamboo. Firstly, I used it as an example to motivate my fifth graders. Bamboo grows exponentially in the 5th year. So, even if their efforts don’t yield results now, they should keep going because the maturing process takes time. One day, they will see the fruits of their labor. Then, I learnt a Japanese proverb that states how まがる竹は、ていこうするかしの木より強いです。 (the bamboo that bends is stronger than the oak tree.) This made me realise how flexible bamboo is. I later learnt that pole vaunts were initially made of bamboo. Lest I dismiss bamboo as a weak material, I subsequently learnt that bamboo is used as scaffolding during the construction of buildings. Something that is strong yet flexible? Reminds me of my favourite Chinese saying: 大丈夫能屈能伸。(A magnanimous man has no problems with either rising to the occasion or bowing in humility.)

So, would I willingly eat bamboo shoot rice now? Not really, but I’m sure that if a bowl comes along my way, I will tuck into it with more respect and reverence.