Recipe
Table Ogino: Shinya Ogino - Hayama Life Chronicles ①
About "Wild Boar Capture & Butchering Record (Hayama Gibier)"
In the mountains of Hayama, Kanagawa Prefecture, chef Shinya Ogino and his team join a hunter to check wild boar traps and retrieve a captured animal. Walking through steep slopes and bamboo forests rich in acorns, they observe trap mechanisms and wild boar tracks, confronting the reality of ingredients as living creatures. The retrieved boar weighed about 35 kg (eviscerated) and was a plump, high-quality specimen with excellent fat. Rather than focusing on a finished dish, this video documents the process of connecting with the lives behind our food at its very source.
Tips for Making "Wild Boar Capture & Butchering Record (Hayama Gibier)"
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Trap Mechanism
- A wire snare trap hidden in the ground that snaps shut around the ankle when stepped on. The wire's thickness is precisely calibrated so lighter animals like dogs, cats, and raccoon dogs can escape, while larger animals like boars, deer, and bears are securely caught.
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Assessing the Catch
- The retrieved boar weighed about 40 kg (approx. 35 kg eviscerated). Directly touching the body allows you to check the fat distribution and meat quality; a plumper body indicates excellent fat quality.
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Sourcing Context
- Boars raised in mountains rich in acorns feed on them, which directly influences the flavor of their meat. Understanding the local vegetation and environment is the first step to truly understanding your ingredients.
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Tracking Boar Signs
- Unnaturally dug-up soil in a bamboo forest indicates where boars have used their snouts to search for bamboo shoots. Traps are set by tracking these signs to understand their range and activity.
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Post-Capture Care
- After capture, the boar is kept in a holding facility before being moved to the butchering site. Immediate post-capture handling, such as bleeding and butchering, is crucial as it heavily impacts meat quality.
How to Make "Wild Boar Capture & Butchering Record (Hayama Gibier)"
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At 10:00 AM, the team gathers at the meeting point in Hayama and heads by car to the mountains where wild boars roam.
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At 10:30 AM, they get out of the car and hike up a mountain trail toward the traps. Navigating steep slopes and thick brush, they observe the acorns on the ground to assess the boars' feeding environment.
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Arriving at a bamboo forest, they spot 'Beware of Wild Boars' signs and areas where the ground has been dug up by boars searching for bamboo shoots.
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Guided by the hunter, they reach a trap site and learn about the mechanism of wire snare traps, including how they are designed to capture or release animals based on their size.
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At 11:30 AM, they retrieve a previously captured wild boar (approx. 40 kg, or 35 kg eviscerated) from the holding facility.
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They touch the boar to check its fat quality and meat texture before transporting it to the butchering site.
Detailed Commentary on "Wild Boar Capture & Butchering Record (Hayama Gibier)"
* Content organized by topics from the video.
Gathering in Hayama and Rumors of Wild Boar
At 10:00 AM, the team gathered in Hayama from various regions. The members chatted excitedly about local pizza chefs and the wildlife inhabiting the area. When told, 'Wild boars actually appear around here,' everyone was surprised yet deeply intrigued. With the goal of checking the traps and hopefully retrieving a catch, they got ready—mindful of the camera—and set off. Piling into the car, they finally headed toward the mountains where the wild boars roam.
Memories of the Sea and Mountains in the Car
During the drive, the conversation flowed naturally about Hayama's rich environment, nestled between the sea and the mountains. One member shared childhood memories of freely catching turban shells and abalone in the ocean. 'In the past, we could fill two buckets with about 30 of them without any issues,' they recalled, filling the car with surprise and nostalgia. While touching upon how rules have changed over time, the story highlighted a childhood deeply connected to nature's bounty.
Heading into Steep Mountain Trails for Traps
At 10:30 AM, the team got out of the car and stepped into the mountains to check the traps. The path started as a gentle slope but quickly grew steep and overgrown, turning into a rugged mountain trail. Despite struggling to climb the steep incline while filming, they noticed an abundance of acorns on the ground, realizing how rich the boars' feeding environment is as they ventured deeper into the forest.
Traces of Wild Boar Left in the Bamboo Forest
Climbing further, they arrived at a serene and beautiful bamboo forest. Along the way, a 'Beware of Wild Boars' sign tied to a tree added a sense of wild tension. Looking closely at the ground, they noticed patches of soil that had been unnaturally dug up. It was explained that these were traces of boars using their snouts to search for bamboo shoots. Witnessing these vivid signs of active wild boars heightened the team's anticipation and tension.
Trap Mechanisms and a Battle of Wits
Guided by the hunter, they reached the trap site and received a detailed explanation of how it works. When an animal steps on the hidden trap, a wire snare snaps shut around its ankle. The thickness and tension of the wire are precisely calibrated so that lighter animals like dogs, cats, or raccoon dogs can slip free and escape. Meanwhile, larger animals like wild boars, deer, and bears are securely captured. The team was deeply impressed by this mechanism, which is packed with the hunter's wisdom and experience.
Retrieving and Observing the Captured Boar
At 11:30 AM, they moved from the mountain to the location where a previously captured boar was being kept. Pulled from the holding facility, the boar was a magnificent specimen weighing about 40 kg (around 35 kg eviscerated). Feeling the body, they could tell it was plump and carried exceptionally high-quality fat. Exclaiming 'This looks delicious!' and 'The fat is incredible!', the team transported the boar to the butchering site with deep gratitude for the life they were about to receive.
About 荻野フレンチアカデミー
荻野フレンチアカデミー
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