Born and raised at the foot of Mount Gassan, here in Nishikawa Town, Yasuo Shibuya is truly a master of the mountains. From a young age, he started gathering sansai (mountain vegetables), becoming familiar with the environment of the mountain. He ran a ramen and soba restaurant until retiring at the age of 65. Now in his seventies, he continues to forage for vegetables and mushrooms, which he sells through local stores. He enjoys the cycle of the seasons and how nature and daily life changes over the course of the year here in Nishikawa. As well as his foraging work, he is an experienced guide and encourages people to visit Nishikawa for the wonderful things you won’t see anywhere else. Message for participants of Mountain Foraging at Dewaya Inn: “I hope you will experience the water and the air of Mount Gassan, and the food grown here, with all five senses, and spend time remembering what human beings are forgetting.