May 5th is Children’s Day in Japan. Two important icons for this day are the Koi-no-bori (flying carp banner) and the kabuto, or armored battle helmet worn by samurai. At Suetomi, we found some delightful and unique koi-no-bori and kabuto themed wagashi, traditional Japanese confections.

We stopped by Suetomi to get their Kodomo-no-hi namagashi set. Namagashi (生菓子) literally means raw, or wet ‘kashi‘, confection.

Traditionally Kodomo-no-hi was known as Boy’s Day (Tango-no-sekkyu) and Girl’s Day was on March 3rd (Hinamatsuri). In 1948, May 5th was designated a national holiday for the happiness of all children. The symbols of May 5th are still decidedly masculine and continue unchanged from the traditional Boy’s Day. The March 3rd Hinamatsuri symbols are also unchanged.

The armored helmet is symbolizes masculine strength and the flying koi banners health and vigor.

Suetomi creates a manju with the koi-no-bori branded on it and a namagashi in the shape of the kabuto helmet. Also, below is a mochi wrapped in kashiwa oak leaf.

The Package

Three Piece Set Served

From left to right; manju with koi-no-bori yaki-in (brand), kabuto shaped namagashi and kashiwa mochi.

Three Piece Set – detail

Kashiwa (Oak Leaf) Mochi

This popular mochi is wrapped in a fresh kashiwa oak leaf.

Kabuto Namagashi

The samurai’s kabuto helmet is beautifully rendered in soft, moist mochi. The dark form slightly visible inside is azuki paste.

Kabuto Namagashi

Koi-no-bori Yaki-in Manju

The Koi-no-bori is branded with a hot iron, called yaki-in in Japanese.

Taste
The taste of these three wagashi was excellent but the flavors themselves are not unique to the Boy’s Festival, just the shape and decoration. Kashiwa Mochi is a springtime wagashi, usually available in April and May. The taste of the mochi itself is conventional but the kashiwa leaf does impart a light and fresh flavor and fragrance.

Miniature Yoroi (armor) Display for Boy’s Day

Peko photographed this at Takashimaya Department Store a few months ago, this detailed and beautifully crafted display costs about $10,000USD!

Kabuto (Samurai Helmet)

photo credit: robizumi

Child and Miniature Kabuto Display

photo credit: egg on stilts

Koi-no-bori

photo credit: teseb

Koi-no-bori – detail

High quality koi-no-bori are still hand painted and quite expensive.
photo credit: qa™design

Children’s Day Google Logo

Sake flavored with cherry blossoms is a wonderful spring treat in Japan. The sakura bloom only last a few days, so this fleeting pleasure of life must be sought out and enjoyed!

Many of the trees in Kyoto look like they have been covered in a thick, fluffy pink snow. These are of course, the Japanese sakura cherry trees covered in delicate blossoms.

Hanami (花見) means ‘flower viewing’. This is a favorite custom with the Japanese. Many people gather along riversides, in parks and on the grounds of temples and shrines to picnic, barbecue, drink and be merry under the sakura blossoms.

About the Sake:
Peko has a new best friend; Furosen Kidarujikomi Muroka Namagenshu Yamahai Jyunmai Daiginjo (不老泉木樽仕込無濾過生原酒山廃純米大吟醸), a very long name for a very tasty and rare breed of sake. Very, very good stuff! One of the best sakes I have ever had. This sake is produced in Shiga Prefecture, just over the mountain from Kyoto by Uehara Shuzo (上原酒造).

Sakura and Sake

Sakura and Sake

Sakura and Sake

Sakura and Sake

The sakura zensen, or ‘Cherry Blossom Front’ is moving up Japan from south to north and is now passing through the center of the country where Kyoto is located. The delicate sakura blossoms don’t last long though, just a few days. It has already begun ‘raining’ cherry petals here and tomorrow ought to be a downpour.

The sakura is an important symbol for the samurai, and why so is a deep subject. Amid contemplating the sakura blooming, fading and disappearing on a momentary gust of wind, a foodie may ask, “ah, but what to eat?”

Sakura!

Sakura Noodles
Paku came home with sakura udon and sakura soba last night and we made the udon, which was fresh and delicate.

While it is still rather chilly in Kyoto, especially at dinner time we had hiyashi (冷やし), chilled udon. The sakura flavor of the noodles is very subtle and delicate so a light and simple tsuyu (dashi-shoyu based dipping sauce) is all that is needed.

We enjoyed this as ‘tsukemen‘, literally ‘dip’ ‘noodle’. A bit of grated ginger is added to the tsuyu and the noodles are dipped in it and slurped up. Very simple and delicious.

Fresh Sakura Udon and Sakura Soba

Paku got these at Meiji-ya on Sanjo Street. It will only be on the shelves for a very short time.

Fresh Sakura Udon

Fresh Sakura Udon — detail

Sakura Udon — Boiling

Notice the dark bits in the noodle. That is the sakura leaf. The leaf probably has more ‘sakura‘ flavor than the flower.

Sakura Hiyashi Udon (Tsukemen) Simply Served
Take a bit of grated ginger (left) and place it in the tsuyu (right), then dip the noodles and slurp! Tsuke = dip and men = noodles.

Chicken Tsukune Nikomi Udon: Udon, Japanese-style chicken meatballs and vegetables simmered in chicken stock-miso soup

Hobo Nizakana: Red Gurnard Simmered in Sweet Shoyu-sake Broth

Nanohana: Lightly Steamed Rape Blossoms with Sesame Sauce

This is a wonderful, late winter dinner that starts with a rich, bone warming hearty soup. Second an slightly uncommon little red fish simmered in sweetened shoyu broth. And ends with fresh, lightly steamed greens announcing the coming of Spring. We enjoyed this seasonal dinner with a high powered, unfiltered, unpasteurized, undiluted sake from Kitagawa Honke Sake Brewery.

The Dinner

The Ingredients for Udon

Broth, nama-udon (fresh udon noodles for simmering), chicken meatballs, veggies (carrots, daikon radish and negi – scallions) and some miso for final flavoring.

Chicken Soup Stock

Peko bought some 50 yen chicken carcasses and broiled and boiled them for our soup stock. Yummy!

‘Nama’ Udon Being Added to the Soup

After the veggies have cooked for about 15 minutes Paku added the nama, or fresh udon. It is not dried, just like ‘fresh pasta’. This very wide udon is for simmering, nikomi (煮込み) in soup. It has not been boiled prior to adding to the soup. Usually, for Japanese noodle dishes the noodles are boiled separately and added to the soup just before being eaten. This is the case for soba, ramen and most udon noodles, the exception being nikomi udon. The miso has not yet been added.

Last Step: Add the Miso and Negi (scallions)

Finally, add the miso and scallions. At this point about half of the soup stock of the had been absorbed by the udon. Yummy!

Chicken Tsukune Nikomi Udon

Healthy and hearty.

Hobo (Red Gurnard)

We hadn’t heard of this fish, the hobo (ほうぼう、魴) before but apparently it is not uncommon. The Red Gurnard is a tasty fish. We affectionately named this one ‘The Dude’. Paku thought that the dude was really cute, even cuter than Peko! In Japan, large ones (40cm+) are especially sought after for sashimi and command high prices. Smaller ones (20-30cm) are used for nizakana, (fish simmered in broth).

Nizakana

Place in a sauce pan, then add the broth ingredients.

Nizakana: Simmering the Fish
Water, cooking sake, mirin, shoyu and sugar. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Super delicious.

Hobo Nizakana Served

Serve in the broth.

Nanohana, or in Kyoto, Hanana – Rape Blossoms
This late winter green is a very well loved veggie in Japan and Kyoto. Claimed by some as a Kyo-yasai (Kyoto vegetable). A little later in the spring nanohana will have dainty yellow blossoms. We love it steamed or blanched and served with sesame based sauce. Nanohana-zuke (lightly pickled in salt Nanohana) is a popular spring pickle.

A Fine Dinner Served with Fine Sake

We enjoyed this dinner with Muroka Nama-genshu (無濾過生原酒) from Kitagawa Honke Sake Brewery (Part 1) that I picked up on a recent visit. This unfiltered (muroka) sake is both namazake and genshu, unpasteurized and undiluted with water. This uncontrived, high-powered sake is straight out of the vat — this is my kind of brew!! (Peko)

How to Prepare?

We think that it would be difficult to prepare the udon dish outside of Japan. So we did not detail the ingredients. If you are reading this blog, you can probably figure it out just from the photos.

If you can get dried, nikomi udon in your county, you can probably pull this one off. The chicken meatballs are just ground chicken, often flavored with some onion, scallion and a little garlic. Sometimes katakuriko is added, even finely cubed konyaku or nagaimo. (Peko says NO katakuriko, as it makes the meatballs too rubbery.)

Paku decided to do a nizakana series and will detail how to make various nizakana dishes — Peko can’t wait!!

Any questions? Let us know!

On February 3rd, people in Japan celebrate Setsubun, the coming of spring. Special sushi rolls called Eho-maki (恵方巻) and eaten while facing the auspicious direction for that year. After dinner, roasted soy beans, or iri-mame are thrown out the front door of the house to cast out demons (oni), disease and bad fortune and welcome spring and and a new year of good fortune.

Paku did some shopping at one of the major department stores in Kyoto and came over with some tasty Setsubun goodies.

Setsubun is associated with The Chinese New Year, or Lunar Calendar which was used for centuries in Japan, so this is a coming of spring festival as well as the traditional new year. It is still an important event in Japan. Setsubun properly refers to the day before the coming of any of the four season. So, this is actually, risshun (立春) , spring Setsubun.

Setsubun dinner is simple, sushi rolls (makizushi). The proper way to eat this dinner is to face a certain direction, this year it was south-east, and eat the entire sushi roll without stopping. Don’t speak, just make your wish! This takes longer than you might think, so you have time to wish for a lot!

Eho-maki, Iri-mame and Oni (demon) Mask

Eating the entire makizushi in one go is quite difficult and I would imagine that more than a few people have choked to death while eating their makizushi according to the rules.

This makizushi is called ehomaki (恵方巻) literally, ‘direction of blessing roll’, wrapped in egg is quite an innovation to my eyes. The oni is branded (yaki-in) on the sheet of egg that is used to wrap the sushi. While it is common to see a single yaki-in on various foods in Japan, usually egg based creations, we had never seen one like this where it covers the entire thing like this.

Someone must have invented a new machine, I thought!

Setsubun Sushi Rolls, Eho-maki – detail

Machine-made or not, it was one of the best damn makizishi I have ever had, and fun to eat!

It came packed in a cute little box to boot. Japanese put lots of energy and effort into packaging.

About those beans. The beans are roasted soybeans. They taste just fine if you are in to roasted soybeans, nothing to get real excited about, taste-wise.

What to do with the beans:

Iri-mame and an Oni (demon) Mask – detail

What you do here is put all the beans in a big bowl then each person counts out the number for your age, placing them in your own blog or plate. This is done after dinner.Then, together you count, one, two, three.. and eat one bean for each year.

This was actually the first time I had done this properly as Paku is a real traditional Japanese girl. Seeing my life as a plate of beans was strange.

As Paku was counting and we were eating beans, I was thinking in my mind the landmarks in my life that came to mind when I picked up each bean. First memories, first pet, t-ball, golden birthday, first kiss, — Paku was born –, lost my virginity, traveled abroad, graduated uni, came to Japan, turned 30.

As Paku was eating her last bean, she said out loud, “How long I have known you, darling!” Oh, sweet!

Some people eat one more bean, this is said to protect your from getting a cold and others say that it ensures a year of happiness.

Then with the remaining beans, you take them to the front door and say “Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!” (鬼は外! 福は内!) Literally, “Oni out, good fortune in!” Then throw them out in the street. As this is the beginning of spring, some people say “Out with the old and in with the new!”

According to Wikipedia, in one region of Japan, they say something like “Oni‘s eyeballs — SMASH! SMASH!” I like that one!

I tried it out on Paku right away. As she was quietly reading after dinner I blurted out, “Paku’s eyeballs — SMASH! SMASH!”

Terrified, she looked at me like I was pointing a knife at her. I thought she was going to run away or call the police, maybe both! (The Japanese words are really scary.) I retorted, that I was just trying out what I learned on Wikipedia and that IS what they say in up in Fukushima Prefecture.

The throwing of beans, called Mame-maki (literally, bean scattering) dates back to ancient Japan. A Heian-era monk is said to have driven away a demon by throwing roasted beans at him/it. Ah, life must really have been simpler back then.

So there you have it, Setsubun. Ehomaki and roasted soybeans. Another fun Japanese festival intricately intertwined with food.

Eho-maki, Iri-mame and Oni (demon) Mask

notice the box in the background.

KyotoFoodie Setsubun Articles
Setsubun Ehomaki, Mame-maki and Grilled Sardine
Setsubun Customs: Hiiragi Iwashi (Holly and Sardine Head)
(2008) Setsubun: The Day Before Spring, Demons, How to Eat Eho-Maki and Throw Your Beans (this one)

＊Link Love: Are you a foodie blogger? We give Link Love. Details right this way.

Ichigo Daifuku (苺大福) is a modern wagashi (Japanese confection) that combines the traditional daifuku (大福), literally ‘great fortune’, with a fresh strawberry!

Ichigo Daifuku signifies the coming of spring as strawberries come into season at the end of winter.

I was on my way home from *’another hard day’ at the sake brewery, and at the station was a little stand selling ichigo daifuku, it has been snowing the last two days, but ichigo daifuku means spring to me, so I bought a few and enjoyed them when I got home.

Yum! Yum!

Ichigo Daifuku – mochi, azuki, fresh strawberry!

Daifuku is mochi filled with azuki bean paste and there are many kinds. Fresh fruit in/on wagashi is not at all common, I can think of no other wagashi that features this combination.

Here, the daifuku is split and a fresh strawberry is placed within. This confection was developed sometime in the 1980′s, apparently various mochi shops claim to have invented it. Whatever it’s origins, it can be had anywhere in Japan now.

Wagashi, as it is associated with the tea ceremony is often eaten very ‘politely’, but with ichigo daifuku it seems that folks dispense with the drama and just chow down, biting it in half, making a two bite snack of one.

If you are in Japan in the late winter or early spring, when the strawberries are in season, check out ichigo daifuku!

By the way, Japanese strawberries are really tasty!

One more thing, ichigo daifuku is popular all over Japan, there is nothing particularly ‘Kyoto’ about it.

*I am working on a series about sake in Kyoto and for the past two days I was at a premium sake brewery in Fushimi, in the south of Kyoto conducting interviews and taking photos. I am not one than learns much from books, and I think they picked up on that within half a day and just put me to work. It was great fun and I got some real first-hand experience on how sake is made. It combines physical labor with serious brain work!