Photo/Illutration Truffles found in Kochi Prefecture in 2017 (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

The uniquely rich aroma of truffles has mesmerized gourmets around the world.

“The Truffle Hunters,” a 2020 documentary film currently showing at theaters in Japan, is about a handful of elderly men whose passion is to hunt for truffles.

Accompanied by a dog with a good nose, they search for the rare and expensive white truffles in the forests of a village in northern Italy.

“Among European truffle buyers, white truffles are their most sought-after prize,” said Akihiko Kinoshita, 43, chief researcher at the Kyushu Research Center of the Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute.

“Unlike black truffles that can be artificially cultivated, 1 kilogram of top-quality white truffles can fetch nearly 500,000 yen ($4,340).”

Actually, truffles grow naturally in Japan, most of which are black. From late autumn to early winter, their heads may peek out of the ground when fallen leaves and dead branches are pushed aside.

However, since a truffle looks like a lot of things--such as a tree nut shell, a lizard’s egg or a rabbit’s excrement--even a seasoned truffle hunter may miss it.

According to the latest research, the history of truffles goes back to the late Jurassic (about 156 million years ago) when dinosaurs walked the Earth.

Since the fungus grows underground, its propagation relies on its rich scent that attracts animals and makes them take a bite. In other words, truffles have remained in existence by luring pigs, dogs and humans with their unique smell.

Wanting to savor at least the aroma, I purchased an imported “truffle-flavored” sweet from a nearby store. But unfortunately, it wasn’t what I expected.

Truffles are artificially cultivated in many countries, but it appears none can really compare with their naturally-grown counterparts.

The documentary film also portrays the damage done by commercialism to the European truffle market. Given their exorbitant prices, I worry about all their natural places of growth being ruined.

If anything goes extinct more than 100 million years from now, will that be the truffle or the human race?

--The Asahi Shimbun, Feb. 21

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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.

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