Annual Events and Traditions Autumn: Obon, Moon-Viewing and Grilled Eel
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Vol. 31 No. 3 October 2017 Kikkoman’s quarterly intercultural forum for the exchange of ideas on food 4 THE JAPANESE TABLE CLOSE-UP JAPAN: Amazake — Annual Events 5 JAPANESE STYLE: and Traditions Japanese Lacquerware TASTY TRAVEL: Autumn: Obon, Moon-Viewing Ibaraki Anko-nabe — and Grilled Eel 6 by Yoichiro Nakamura MORE ABOUT JAPANESE COOKING: Meatballs with Tomato-Amazake Sauce Our current series looks at the special foods and Satoimo Manju with Gin-an (Chicken-fi lled taro dumplings with “Silver Sauce”) traditions related to Japan’s seasonal observances, based on the ancient lunar calendar. This third — installment focuses on autumn, when ancestral 8 spirits visit during Obon and communities celebrate KIKKOMAN TODAY: the full moon and the tradition of eating grilled eel. World Cuisine with Soy Sauce: Introducing 20 Recipes Annual Events and Traditions Autumn: Obon, Moon-Viewing and Grilled Eel Obon: Return of the Ancestral Spirits enjoyed at other celebrations, to return the following year. In Japan, the fifteenth day of the and shared with friends and This fire-lighting custom seventh month by the old lunar neighbors. In some areas, it was evolved into a special summer calendar has long been believed also an Obon tradition for the event held in Kyoto, where to be the time when the spirits community to gather at the bonfires are set alight across of ancestors return to visit the local temple and eat their fill of mountain slopes surrounding living. During the several days udon noodles. the city to create the enormous surrounding this date, called Obon falls during harvest character Dai, meaning “large” Obon, a series of family rituals time, so offering vegetables to or “great,” to send off the are observed to welcome, the deities was another way of ancestral spirits. entertain and send off these expressing gratitude for a Important among Obon rituals spirits. Offerings to them bountiful harvest. Eggplant and is offering water to the ancestral include rice ball sweets called cucumber were used to fashion spirits. Offerings may include a botamochi, or ohagi, depending figurines of oxen and horses as basin of water and vegetables such on the season, and somen mounts to transport the deities. as chopped eggplant and noodles, all of which are later Bon-odori dances, also held cucumber, or sometimes partaken by the family. Somen during Obon, remain among the uncooked rice. In some areas of noodles are offered to pray for most diverse and colorful of the country, offerings of hot tea good health, stemming from an Japanese performing folk arts. are made to ancestral spirits as old Chinese tradition. Botamochi Young people would gather many as 75 times a day during made on the first day of Obon, beneath the full moon and dance Obon, refl ecting an old tradition when returning spirits are the night through, and it was of offering tea to the Buddha. thought to arrive, were called often during ochi-tsuki botamochi, or these events that “settling-down rice ball sweets.” romance would Botamochi are made of steamed blossom. The non-glutinous rice and glutinous next day, rice lightly pounded in a mortar, offerings of food and formed into oval balls. were brought to These are then either coated the seaside or with a layer of sweet adzuki riverside, where bean paste, or sprinkled with fires were lit. sesame or roasted soybean There, the powder (kinako). Both invisible spirits botamochi and ohagi are not would be sent off only presented as offerings to the heavens, during Obon; they are also with entreaties Daimonji fi res on Kyoto’s mountainside 2 From left: Botamochi offered to the spirits are also shared by friends and family during Obon; oxen fi gures made of eggplant and horses of cucumber are offered to the spirits during Obon season; eel grilled over charcoal. There was also a belief that glimpse of ancient beliefs for increase the popularity of grilled ancestral spirits returned in the giving thanks for the harvest. On eel. Interestingly, the manner in form of living creatures, and for this night only, it is the custom which eel is prepared for that reason, meat and fish were that children are allowed to kabayaki differs between Japan’s not eaten during the Obon make off with the tsukimi-dango eastern Kanto and western season. The author recalls his and offerings—perhaps a remnant Kansai regions. In Kansai, the eel grandmother once telling him of the belief that when the is slit along the belly, skewered one night when a moth entered offerings disappear, it was the and grilled as-is; in Kanto, the the room attracted by the light ancestral spirits—temporarily eel is slit along the spine and not to kill it, as it might be the assuming the shape of innocent steamed before grilling. The spirit of an ancestor. children—who have accepted lively business enjoyed by them. Otsukimi rituals are held unagiya restaurants specializing Moon-Viewing again on the thirteenth day of the in eel around this time of year is People around the world share a ninth month of the lunar a nostalgic and notable event in sense of wonder at the beauty of calendar in many areas, and modern Japanese cuisine, and the full moon. Moon-viewing, or offerings on this occasion include one that is still enjoyed today. otsukimi, takes place during the chestnuts, a valued and favorite Translated by Lynne E. Riggs eight month of the lunar food since antiquity. calendar, when people enjoy the especially large and beautiful full Grilled Eel moon. Tsukimi-dango are Since long ago, eel has been steamed and kneaded rice flour treasured as a highly nutritious balls traditionally offered to the food. A custom has been passed cover moon on the day of otsukimi. down of eating grilled eel Tsukimi-dango and susuki grass are offered during These are accompanied by a vase (kabayaki) to provide moon-viewing celebrations. of susuki grass, an early nourishment to build up physical Author’s profile blossoming field grass, and just- strength during a time when the Yoichiro Nakamura, Ph.D.; born in 1943. harvested vegetables such as seasons are changing. Kabayaki A specialist in historical and folklore resources, Prof. Nakamura was formerly professor at satoimo (taro). The inclusion of is made by skewering sliced-open Shizuoka Sangyo University (SSU), and is susuki expresses the hope that eel and grilling it with a thick currently guest researcher at the SSU Institute of the rice, still growing lushly in and savory soy sauce-flavored Research and Development. His major works include: Iruka to nihonjin (“Dolphins and the paddies, will ripen as sauce that contains mirin, which Japanese,” 2017); Myanmar: Ima, ichiban shiritai abundantly as the grass. Satoimo adds a mild sweetness. Around kuni (“Myanmar: the country we’re most curious has been cultivated in Japan long the middle of the Edo period about,” 2013); Bancha to shomin kissashi (“Bancha tea and the history of popular tea before rice cultivation was (roughly 1700-1800), mirin drinking,” 2015); and Washoku bunka booklet 2: introduced, so their appearance became more widely available as nenchu gyoji to shikitari (“Washoku culture among the offerings provides a a seasoning, and this helped booklet, no. 2: annual events and traditions,” 2016). FOOD FORUM October 2017 3 CLOSE-UP JAPAN Traditions and trends in Japanese food culture Clockwise from left: Warm amazake; amazake ingredients rice and sake lees Amazake A traditional Japanese drink, sweet most amazake falls into the former amazake is made from fermented category; some of these contain rice. This creamy white beverage is Amazake is popular both malted rice and sake lees to traditionally prepared by adding improve palatability, while others water and malted rice to cooked among the health- have added salt—and so the taste rice, before storing it at about 60°C conscious of amazake differs, depending on (140°F). Aspergillus mold the manufacturer. In recent years decomposes and saccharifi es the amazake has gained popularity rice starch, which produces among the health-conscious, as its amazake’s natural sweetness. malted rice has an alcohol content benefi cial nutrients are composed Amazake literally means “sweet of less than one percent. This of essential amino acids, glucose, liquor,” however, the traditional beverage has been around for B vitamins, dietary fi ber and type made from cooked rice and centuries: it was sold on streets year- oligosaccharides. Some amazake is round during the Edo period (1603- blended with cereals, banana, 1867), and was particularly enjoyed citrus or apple; it can be found as a restorative against fatigue on canned, bottled, in cartons or hot summer days. These days, warm freeze-dried. The broad range of amazake is more commonly served amazake foods on the market at temples and shrines during New includes amazake-fl avored Year’s to visitors hoping to ward off soymilk, ice cream and candies, as the chill of winter. well as bread made with amazake. There are essentially two kinds Amazake is also a healthy of amazake. The traditional type is alternative to sugar, and has found made from cooked rice and malted popularity as an additive to rice; the other is prepared by seasonings such as dressings, Various amazake products are available in dissolving sakekasu (sake lees) in sauces and soups, as well as cakes, bottles, cans and other packaging. hot water then adding sugar. Today, cookies and jellies. 4 JAPANESE STYLE Perspectives on Japanese cuisine Japanese Lacquerware In English, the term “japan” is synonymous with suited to traditional Japanese dining etiquette. The Japanese lacquerware. Japan has for centuries been beauty of lacquer is also essential to the Japanese renowned for its lacquerware—wooden dishes and aesthetic, in that it enhances the appeal of the food itself.