also: ごんぜつ
noun
Acanthopanax sciadophylloides; a flowering plant related to aralias
A deciduous tree native to Japan, whose young shoots are eaten as sansai (mountain vegetables). Often called コシアブラ in everyday contexts.
春になると、山でコシアブラの新芽を採る。
In spring, people gather young shoots of Acanthopanax sciadophylloides in the mountains.
コシアブラは天ぷらにすると美味しい。
Acanthopanax sciadophylloides is delicious when made into tempura.
The name コシアブラ is said to derive from the practice of filtering (漉す, kosu) oil (油, abura) through the bark, though the exact origin is uncertain.