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Kagoshima (Satsuma)
Kagoshima Prefecture (鹿児島県, Kagoshima-ken)
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. The capital is the city of Kagoshima.
Kagoshima Prefecture is located at the southwest tip of Kyūshū and includes a chain of islands stretching further to the southwest for a few hundred kilometers. The most important group is the Amami Islands.
It has a bay called Kagoshima Bay (Kinkowan).
The prefecture boasts a chain of active and dormant volcanoes, including the great Sakurajima, which towers out of the Kagoshima bay opposite Kagoshima city.
Kagoshima Prefecture corresponds to the ancient Japanese provinces Ōsumi and Satsuma 薩摩 , including the northern part of the Ryukyu Islands.
The prefecture has strong agricultural roots, which are reflected in its most well-known exports: green tea, sweet potato, radish, Pongee rice, Satsuma pottery and Berkshire pork ("kurobuta"). Kagoshima prefecture's production of bonito flakes is second only to that of Shizuoka. In addition it produces Japan's largest volume of unagi eels.
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Kagoshima is the second largest tea growing area in Japan, right after Shizuoka.
Sakurajima 桜島 The Sakurajima volcano
Satsuma Pottery
Satsuma Ware 薩摩焼 Satsumayaki
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satookibi サトウキビ / 砂糖黍 sugar cane
Saccharum officinarum. Zuckerrohr
It used to be grown widely, but with cheaper imports, its fields were abandoned.
Now some areas grow it back in memory of the good old times, prepare sugar like their grandfathers did and make sweets for the local children to remember.
boomaki 棒まき "sugar wrapped around a stick"
simmered cane juice is wrapped around a cane stick and sucked.
The simmered juice is also spread on thin pancakes and eaten as oyatsu snack.
It can be used in sauces for grilled or fried fish.
satookibi 甘蔗 (さとうきび) sugarcane, sugar cane
kigo
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Regional Dishes from Kagoshima
鹿児島郷土料理
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akumaki あくまき（灰汁巻き）mochigome rice cakes, Chimaki
from Takachiho, around Kirishima and also in Miyasaki.
Eaten for the Boy's festival. akumochi.
Glutinous rice is wrapped in bamboo leaves and simmered for 3 to 4 hours in alkaline lye. Thus they can be kept for a long time when done. The army of Satsuma used these when going to war. It tasts rather alkaline. It is cut in pieces and covered with sugar and kinako soy powder before eating.
There is also
tsunomaki つのまき in Tanegashima Island
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and
tojinkan in Bonotsu Island.
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butabone 豚骨 pig bones
kurobuta 黒豚 black pig from Satsuma
. nettabo ねったぼ dumplings
from mashed sweet potatoes and mochigome rice
Sprinkled with kinako powder.
sakezushi 酒ずし sushi with sake
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Satsuma age, satsumaage, satsuma-age さつま揚げ fried fish cake from Satsuma
Pounded white fish meat and flour is mixed to prepare a compact paste that is solidified through frying. Sometimes tofu is added into the mix.
Many ingredients can be added for extra flavor, for example vegetabels.
This food originated in Vietnam and came to Okinawa brought by local fishermen. From there, it found its way to Kagoshima (former Satsuma) and then spread all over Japan.
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. WASHOKU
Satsuma Imo 薩摩芋, サツマイモ Sweet potatoes
imodango, imo dango いも団子 / さつま芋団子 / 芋団子
Speciality from Ibusuki town いぶすき【指宿市】.
. Tanegashima Annoo Imo 種子島あんのう芋 / 安納芋
mitsuimo, mitsu imo 蜜芋 "honey sweet potato"
Satsumajiru 薩摩汁 soup with sweet potatos
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Satsumazuke さつま漬け pickles from Satsuma
Shoochuu 焼酎 (しょうちゅう)
Shochu, strong distilled liquor, Schnaps
Yamakawa katsuobushi 山川鰹節
from the Yamakawa family production
They are prepared by hand in the family tradition. They are smoked before drying.
They are freshly shaved, added some sesame and soysauce and this is put on rice for a delicious meal.
From Kagoshima, Makurasaki 枕崎
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Things found on the way
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HAIKU and SENRYU
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Related words
***** WASHOKU : Regional Japanese Dishes
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September 11, 2024
ReplyDeleteAncient harvest ritual on Japanese island draws big crowd
On the southwestern Japanese island of Amami-Oshima, people have offered prayers for a bumper crop in a traditional ritual dating back more than 450 years.
The event, called "Hirase-mankai," is designated as a national important intangible folk cultural property.
People gathered at a beach in Tatsugo Town at high tide on Monday evening for the annual event. Five women dressed in white and acting as priestesses stood on a rock by the seaside, while a group of seven men and women who played supporting roles stood on a nearby rock.
The two groups sang to each other to the beat of drums and used hand gestures called "mankai" to invite the gods of the sea.
As the pace of the drum beat and the singing quickened, the five women sat on their heels facing the sea and prayed for a bountiful crop and prosperity for the local community.
To wrap up the event, local people danced together in a circle on the beach with a large number of spectators looking on.
more
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20240911_08/
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