Japan History and Culture

Nanakusa-gayu (seven herb rice porridge,七草粥)

Nanakusagayu, literally Nana means seven, kusa means leaves (or herbs), and Gayu (Kayu) means rice porridge.

On January 7th it is Japanese tradition from old times, to eat nanakusa-gayu (seven herb rice porridge). This is o-kayu (rice porridge, much like Chinese congee) cooked with haru no nanakusa (the seven herbs of spring). These herbs are: ‘Seri (dropwort), Nazuna (shepherb’s purse), Gogyou (cotton weed), Hakobera (chickweed), Hotokenoza (cotton sow thistle), Suzuna (turnip), Suzushiro (Japanese white radish)

The Japanese people as special herbs that protect them against evil, prevent illness and longevity. Also, people tend to eat and drink too much on New Year’s Day; therefore it is an ideal light and healthy meal with a lot of vitamins.


INGREDIENTS

-2 cup raw Japanese white rice (kome)
-1 pack seven spring herbs mix (nanakusa)
-4 rice cake (mochi) pickled dried plum (umeboshi)

PREPARATION

1.    Wash the rice, add to a sturdy pot (an earthenware pot is best), along with the salt and water.
2.    Let it soak for 30 minutes, then cover, bring to boil over medium heat, turn heat to low and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes. Unlike regular rice, it’s OK to open the lid now again to check things out, give it a stir, and add more water if needed
3.    Wash the seven herbs, cut in fine pieces.
4.    Grill rice cake.
5.    Add herbs to porridge.
6.    Pour porridge over rice cake put in individual bowl. And Serve with pickled dried plum.

Serves 4

Haru no nanakusa (the seven herbs of spring, 春の七草)

Haru no Nanakusakayu (the seven kinds of herbs of Spring), literally Haru no means spring’s, Nana means 7, kusa means herbs. It is the long-standing Japanese customary to eat nanakusa-gayu (seven herb rice porridge七草粥) with the cutting seven spring herbs on January 7th in Japan.

Traditionally, The 7 herbs are: Seri (Japanese parsley), nazuna (Shepard’s purse), gokyou (cotton weed), hakobera (chickweed), hotokenoza (Nipplewort), suzuna (like turnip), and suzushiro (Daikon).

Eating these greens is thought to replenish the body with energy from nature and to encourage good health, good spirits and extended longevity for the coming year. It’s a time-honored custom that’s also very practical, since the herbs are a good remedy for indigestion from having had too much mochi (rice cakes) and other New Year’s delicacies over the holidays.

Today, it is easy to find these fresh herbs in supermarkets, and some flower shops sell decorative versions planted in small baskets.

Hatsuyume (First Dream, 初夢)

Hatsuyume is the Japanese word for the first dream had in the New Year.

Hatsuyume, literally hatsu means first, yume means dream in Japanese,the night of  December 31 was often passed without sleeping, thus the hatsuyume was often the dream seen the night of January 1. This explains why January 2 (the day after the night of the “first dream”) is gives the name to the second day of the year in the traditional Japanese calendar.

Traditionally, the contents of the dream would foretell the luck of the dreamer in the ensuing year. There is an old saying, Mt. Fuji (Ichi-fuji, 一富士), a hawk (ni-taka, 二鷹) or an eggplant (san-nasubi, 三茄子or nasu, 成す), it indicates the three best things to have in your first dream. If you dream of three things, you will have good fortune during the year. This belief has been in place since the early Edo period but there are various theories regarding the origins as to why this particular combination was considered to be auspicious. One theory suggests that this combination is lucky because Mount Fuji is Japan’s highest mountain, a hawk is a clever and strong bird, and the word for eggplant (nasu or nasubi 茄子) has the same sound as the word “nasu 成す” which means achieving something great.

Kagami mochi(mirror mochi,鏡餅)  

Kagami mochi (a rice cake decoration for Japanese New Year’s), literally “Kagami” means a mirror and Mochi means a rice cake, which is offered to Buddha and other deities at the New Year. And the kagami mochi is decorated with objects often chosen for the lucky ideas suggested by puns on their names.

Kagami mochi consists of a stack of two round rice cakes (mochi), which round shape symbolizes fulfillment in the family. The stacked cakes indicate successfully “piling up” or adding another year to one’s life.

 The smaller placed atop the larger, and a daidai orange (a Japanese bitter orange) with an attached leaf on top, whose name means “generation”, is said to symbolize the continuation of a family from generation to generation.

In addition, it may have a piece of white paper. Some of the Kagamimochi are  decorated with a folding fan, a sheet of kombu (Kelp) and a skewer of dried persimmons under the rice cakes. It sits on a stand called a sanpō (三宝) over a sheet called a shihōbeni (四方紅), which is supposed to ward off fires from the house for the following years. Sheets of paper called gohei (御幣) folded into lightning shapes similar to those seen on sumo wrestler’s belts are also attached.

The ornamental mochi is removed on January 11 and broken into smaller pieces  before being eaten. By this time, the kagami mochi is usually quite brittle, and cracks appear on the surface. The mochi is not cut with a knife, since cutting has negative connotations (like “cutting off ties”). It’s broken with one’s hands or a hammer, and thus the ritual is called kagami biraki鏡開き(”Mirror Opening”also known as the “Rice Cutting Ceremony”). The smaller pieces are roasted and put in zenzai or shiruko (sweet soup of boiled beans) or zoni (vegetable and meat soup). By partaking of this offering to the gods, ancient people believed that they were inviting divine blessings.

The Seven-Five-Three Festival (Shichi-go-san Matsuri,七五三)

Date: November 15th or on the closest weekend day

Place: All over Japan

Shichi-Go-San literally means “seven five Three”. Odd numbers are considered lucky numbers in Japan.

One of the most important festivals for Japanese children, It is one of three major celebrations in their life. Girls of age three and seven and boys of age only five (though in some families three year old boys also) are celebrated on Shichi-go-san.
Traditionally, On Shichi-go-san the children dress up in special clothes, at the age of seven, a young girl celebrates wearing her first obi, a special sash for tying their kimonos, in a celebration called Obi-toki. While at the age of five a young boy celebrates wearing his first haori jackets and hakama pants ( a special skirt that samurais wear, in a celebration called Hakamagi ) ; in public. The age of three marks the first time that both boys and girls were allowed to let their hair grow. And are taken to a Shinto shrine to give thanks for their health and pray for their good health, growth and happy future free of sickness and misfortune.

The Shinto priest at the shrine performs a purification ceremony and then children are give shitose-ame (thousand year candy) is colored red and white (the colors of luck and celebration), in long bags decorated with turtles and cranes. These are all symbols of longevity in Japan.

Thousand-year candy (chitoseame,千歳飴)

Chitoseame means “thousand-year candy,” is given to children on “Seven-Five-Three” Festival (Shichi-Go-San ).

Chitoseame is shaped like a long thin stick of red and white wheat gluten, which comes in a long white paper bag decorated with symbols of longevity and ensures healthy growth such as pine, bamboo, plums, cranes, and tortoises. Chitoseame and the bag are both expressions of parents’ wish that their children lead long, prosperous lives.

admin on August 26th, 2008 | File Under Culture | No Comments -

Floating Ceremony of Paper Hina Dolls (Nagashibina)

Nagashi-bina is an event that involves dispelling impurities and misfortunes by floating dolls away on river or sea.

This was called “Nagashi-bina”.  Because this was done around the time peach flowers bloom, it has come to be called “Momo no Sekku”, but it used to be called “Joshi no Sekku”.

Displaying dolls indoors became a practice quite a while later.

On this day girls and women dedicate dolls to the shrine deity. The dolls are brought to the beach at Kada and floated away on a wooden boat, taking with them all evils and sicknesses that befall women.”

A boatload of dolls ( Nagashbina sets)

In this rite, dry straw or wood is woven into a boat, which carries a pair of male and female paper dolls to be cast adrift in the river or sea. As it has become quite a rare event, in recent years it has come to attract visitors by the busload.

admin on August 26th, 2008 | File Under Culture | No Comments -

The Hiyoko Cakes  ( HIYOKO MANJU,ひよこ饅頭)

This is a popular Japanese sweet cake called “Hiyoko”. This special confection can be a good souvenir and gift.  A word “Hiyoko” means chick in Japanese.

The Hiyoko Cakes is a baby chick shaped sponge cake born in 1912 in Iizuka. The sponge cake is a little bit hard and is filled with white sweet bean paste.  People have since loved the pretty shape and the mellow flavor of bean jam in the skin of savory bun. This was ranked in an older ranking.   Actually, before Tokyo Banana, Hiyoko was the most popular souvenir of Tokyo.  People think this is a Tokyo specialty, but originally it comes from Kyushu. They do look very similar. Here is a comparison.  The one on the left is a Fukuoka Hiyoko, while the one on the right is a Tokyo Hiyoko.

Lucky Laugh or Funny Face Game (Fukuwarai)

Fukuwarai is a Japanese traditional game which is usually played during New Year holiday  in Japan. The game can help you to learn directions and parts of the face.

Fukuwarai means “happy laugh.” Fuku means fortune, and warai means laughing, which is also a popular indoor game on the New Years. The game is usually played by children, but adults may sometimes play also. The game is similar to that of Pin the Tail on the Donkey.

How to play
 
1. Draw two same pictures of a person’s face.
2. Cut the eyes, eyebrows, nose, ears, and mouth out of one picture.
3. Then one player is blindfolded with a handkerchief or some other type of cloth.
4. The blindfolded player tries to place cutouts of the eyes, eyebrows, mouth, and nose on the face, while the other players shout instructions–for example, “Higher!” “To the left!” “There!”
5. After the player places the pieces, the blindfold is removed so the player can view his or her handiwork.
6. Most of the time, the face comes out looking ridiculous, and the players can’t keep from laughing and let the next player take a turn.

Originally, only one style of face was used for the game - a comical, round face of Otafuku. Otafuku is a homely looking woman. Nowadays, other faces are sometimes used, such as those of popular actors and comic book characters or popular anime characters.

Japanese badminton (Hanetsuki)

Hanetsuki is a Japanese traditional game, similar to badminton, played without a net, and is played with a wooden paddle called hagoita and a shuttlecock called hane and is made from colorful feathers. This game is a young girls game that is played at New Years.

The game can be played in two fashions, by one person attempting to keep the shuttlecock aloft as long as possible, or by the two people batting it back and forth. Girls who fail to hit the shuttlecock get marked on the face with India Ink by a stroke of a brush. While the game’s popularity has declined in recent times, beautifully ornamented hagoita are still a popular collection item, it has since become a custom to give a hagoita as a gift to celebrate the birth of a girl.