Culinary culture is an extremely important part of Japanese culture.
Setsubun Customs: Hiiragi Iwashi (Holly and Sardine Head) 柊鰯
On February 3, Setsubun, the eve of the beginning of spring, it is essential eat maki-zushi, throw beans out your front door, eat sardines, impale a sardine head on holly and place it near your front door to ensure a healthy and prosperous new year. Notice, everything involves food!
Midnight Snack: Whole Ayu Sweetfish Sugatani Served on Jukkokumai Rice
The other day I was up in Shiga Prefecture, just over the East Mountains from Kyoto, on the shores of Lake Biwa and I was given a package of whole sugatani ayu, a trout-like sweetfish from Lake Biwa as a gift.
Happy New Year Again! Koshogatsu Ryori and Oma Maguro Tuna 小正月料理 大間マグロ
Koshogatsu, or ‘little shogatsu‘ is traditionally observed on January 15th and marks the end of the Japanese New Year celebration. Mochi that has been offered to Shinto gods for the last half month is now quite dried out and is shattered with a hammer for eating…
Wagashi: Kyoto Toraya’s Year of the Ox Namagashi 京都とらや のどかな朝
There is a blend of sophistication, beauty, simplicity and cuteness in namagashi, especially Kyoto namagashi, that is just unlike anything else in the foodie universe. In food and non-food related design, the traditional Japanese sense is something from another, bygone world, but still seems so essential even in…
Mochibana Japanese New Year Shogatsu Decoration 餅花
Mochibana is a Japanese New Year’s decoration that uses white and pink colored mochi wrapped around willow branches to simulate blossoms. Shogatsu signals the coming of spring in Japan, and spring is plum, peach and cherry blossoms. Why do people use mochi rather than real flowers?
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