第43話: 山岡と花のトリオは、ホテル経営者ビトウが破壊する計画を持つ鎌倉の竹林を発見する。

43

Yamaoka and the "flower trio" are in Kamakura when they come upon a beautiful bamboo grove and decide to have a picnic. They meet the caretaker who tells them the forest is owned by Bitō, an owner of a chain of hotels, who intends to cut it down to build a villa. When Mr Bitō shows up, Yamaoka tells him off and says that a bamboo forest like this is more valuable than any building, but Bitō just scoffs at him. Back in Tokyo, Yamaoka asks president Ohara for a favor. Ohara invites Bitō and Itayama to dinner where the theme is Japanese sea bass. The first dish is sea bass cooked in rice paper, the second is French-style quenelle and the third looks like normal baked fish but the three men are amazed how savory and fragrant it is and declare it the far best of the dishes. The cook of the third dish is Mr Shu. He used a Chinese method where the fish is baked inside a tube of green bamboo (aodake). Mr Shu apologizes for taking bamboo from Bitō's forest without permission, but says it's hard to find good bamboo these days. Next when Yamaoka is in Kamakura, he learns that Bitō has decided to spare the forest. (Source: Wikipedia)