Kobiru lunch

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Rural lunch (kobiru)

***** Location: Japan
***** Season: Topic
***** Category: Humanity

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Explanation



Kobiru, cobiru, kobilu （こびる） 小昼　
koburi
a small lunch, is food taken out to the fields by the farmers, when they had to work all day. At lunch, they would gather at the field side, unpack the little delicacies, warm them at a small fire and enjoy lunch outside.

This word comes from the dialect of Miazaki prefecture in Kyushu 宮崎.
The village of Takachiho is especially eager to promote this.
高千穂こびる研究会

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In former times, simple things were taken out, like round cakes of rice flour and corn flour or millet flour.
Even inarizushi tofu pouches filled with rice were grilled on the fire.
Onigiri of all kinds were grilled too.
According to the season, ingredients differed.
nishibe pickled daikon was eaten with the cakes.
kaki persimmons were cut in slices, dried or grilled.
mushipan, steamed bread with flavor of yomogi, kabocha or azuki beans.


kagura manjuu 神楽まんじゅう manju dumplings for the Kagura dance performance
were filled with chicken meat and goboo.
. . . CLICK here for Photos ! for Kagura manju from other areas


kappocha　かっぽ茶　Tea was prepared in bamboo poles cut by the field side, split half open, some branches with tea laeves were put over the coals for a moment, then stuffed into the bamboo pole and heated over the fire.

In the village, people have come together, old and young, and exchanged new ideas to teach the children about this kind of lunch.

New ideas have come up, like a kobiru baaga, a hamburger baked with rice flour and a piece of pickled daikon instead of meat, all grilled on a skewer just before eating.


nipponsyokuiku.net/syokumodel/2007/hokoku_17.html


The villagers have opened a small restaurant where you can sample these dishes at lunchtime.


ponpon chokobaa ポンポンチョコバー
chocolate bar with ponpon puffed rice grains
a desert with nostalgic taste.



This type of carry-on lunch for farmers exixts in other parts of Japan too, under various names.

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Worldwide use


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Things found on the way


神楽饅頭 Kagura manjuu

備中神楽のおまんじゅう
Kagura Manju from Bitchu
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HAIKU and SENRYU


草蒔や肴焼香も小昼過
kusa maku ya sakana yaku ka mo ko-biru sugi

sowing herbs--
the smell of fish cooking
a little past noon
Tr. David Lanoue



雉と臼寺の小昼は過にけり
kiji to usu tera no kobiru wa sugi ni keri

crying pheasant, pounding mill
morning till noon
at the temple

Kobayashi Issa

There are two types of usu or mill:
(1) shiki usu (grinding hand-mill) and
(2) a large wooden tub used for rice or herb cake making. Whichever type Issa meant, I think he is referring to its grinding or pounding sound, just as I assume that he is referring to the cries of a pheasant.
Literally, the "forenoon" (kobiru) of the Buddhist temple has passed with "pheasant and mill" (kiji to usu). I assume that Issa is hearing the sounds of both, on and on and on...
Tr. David Lanoue


- - - - -

kiji to usu tera no kobiru wa sugi ni keri

a pheasant, a hand mill --
snack time in the temple
now over
Tr. Chris Drake

This hokku is from the 3rd month (April) of 1812, when Issa was traveling around near Edo. It is also in the Kabuban anthology, which contains the hokku on the six realms of karmic existence by Issa and his friend, the priest Kakuro. The hokku evokes a moment in the daily life at a country temple.

In Issa's time, different temples had different customs, but most served a snack or light meal (kobiru) either in mid-morning or mid-afternoon. In the True Pure Land school to which Issa belonged, there are few restrictions concerning meal decorum, so probably the monks and visitors to the temple such as Issa have been talking as they ate their light meal, concentrating on the food and conversation. But as soon as they finish the temple returns to its usual silence, broken by the high, piercing cries of a pheasant looking for food on the temple grounds and by the rough scraping sounds made by a stone hand mill (hiki-usu) as the top stone moves around and around, grinding rice, buckwheat, barley, or perhaps even tea leaves. The loud sounds made by the pheasant and hand mill are obvious, so Issa simply implies them. Since the temple probably doesn't grow and harvest its own rice and the season doesn't call for pounding a lot of glutinous rice to make rice cakes, it seems likely someone in the temple is grinding with a small hand mill.

- - Chris Drake



hand-mill for grinding nuts and acorns


. WKD : cha-usu 茶臼 hand-mill for ginding tea leaves .

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老い二人畦の小昼（こびる）や柏餅　　
oi futari aze no kobiru ya kashiwamochi　

two old people
have lunch by the field side -
sweet rice cakes

Maruyama 丸山蝉音

kashiwamochi are special rice cakes are for the Boy's festival on May 5.

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棟梁の好みや新じやが小昼とす
tooryoo no konomi ya shinjaga kobiru to su

the master carpenter
loves the new potatoes best -
let's take a quick lunch

Yoshioka Yutaka 吉岡ゆたか , 2007


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Related words

***** WASHOKU : Regional Japanese Dishes

WASHOKU
Miyazaki 宮崎

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Gangu Folk Toys

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. Mingei みんげいクッキー Folk Art Cookies .
. gangu 玩具伝説, omochcha おもちゃ 　toy, toys .
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Folk Toys (kyoodo gangu) and Food





Some folk toys (kyoodo gangu 郷土玩具)
are depicted with food items.
Many are made of clay (tsuchi ningyoo　土人形), or straw.
some are clay bells.

mingeihin 民芸品 folk craft
minzokugaku 民俗学 anthropology, ethnology


Here I will collect them as I find them.


Daruma Doll Museum

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© PHOTO :takashi okawa. 2004

Daruma celebrating a good catch 大漁だるま
tairyoo Daruma, taigyo Daruma (with a big fish)

Hamamatsu Hariko Doll 浜松張り子





Konbu Daruma こんぶ達磨 from Himeji


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chadoogu, mame chadoogu 豆茶道具 tea ceremony toys



Chadoogu, mame chadoogu 豆茶道具 tea ceremony toys
From Imaichi Town, 今市市 Ibaraki
They are also made in Hakone, Kanagawa and other famous woodcarving areas.


Nikko chadogu 日光茶道具 tea toys from Nikko
miniature tea-utensils
First made by the carpenters of the Nikko Toshogu shrine, in their free time.


- source and detailed photos : tochigi-dentoukougeihin

The wood mainly used is from cherry trees, Chinese quince and zelkova.

. Tochigi Folk Art - 栃木県 .

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chanoki ningyoo 茶の木人形 dolls carved from the tea tree
Uji, Kyoto
Also called Uji Ningyoo 宇治人形, dolls from Uji
Mostly figures of women picking tea, about 5 to 10 cm high. Some are without colors.
They have been produced since the beginning of the Edo period, when Kanamori Soowa 金森宗和 (1584-1656) Kanamori Sowa started carving a statue of the tea master Sen no Rikyu, who got his tea from Uji. Carved with one knife (ittoobori), some are almost like netsuke.


. Kyoto Folk Art - 京都（府） .

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DAIKOKU 大黒天 the God of the Rice Farmers





EBISU 恵比須（えびす） the God of the Fishermen


Here he is sitting on a sea bream (TAI 鯛) for additional good luck.
TAI is related to MEDETAI, an auspicious occasion.


Ebisu and Daikoku are usually pictured together.
They represent
Umi no Sachi, Yama no Sachi

the bounty of the sea and the mountains !




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FUKUSUKE 福助
welcoming a visitor in a restaurant or shop 　


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INARI, Fushimi Inari, 伏見稲荷 the God of Rice

INARI and the Fox Cult




ine-uma 稲馬 horse carrying harvested rice



スゲ細工・稲馬 made from sedge
Niigata


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karakuri ningyo からくり人形　mechanic dolls

Karakuri ningyō are mechanized puppets or automata from Japan from the 18th century to 19th century. The word karakuri means a "mechanical device to tease, trick, or take a person by surprise".
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !


monkeys making soba buckwheat noodles


One is sifting flour, one is rolling the dough and one is eating the noodles. They move their arms.

From Narai Town, Nagano 奈良井

. Karakuri ningyoo からくり人形 mechanical dolls .


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source
http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~SA9S-HND/agal-940-2.html

kometsuki kuruma 米つき車 wheels for pounding rice
From Aichi, Toshogu 東照宮

This is a kind of KARAKURI doll.

. Karakuri ningyoo からくり人形 mechanical dolls .

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Koobe ningyoo, Kobe Ningyo 神戸人形
mechanical dolls from Kobe, Kobe Dolls

Man drinking Sake


www.japan-toy-museum.org
Boy cutting melon


. Kobe mechanical dolls 神戸人形 Introduction .

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kijiuma, kiji-uma きじ馬 pheasant with wheels
From Hitoyoshi 人吉, Kumamoto
Many craftsmen of the area made furniture. These toys were made in memory of Kyoto, since many had fled here after the Battle of Dan-no-Ura, when the Heike were defeated in 1185.
. kijiguruma きじ車 　pheasant on wheels
.






Koi nobori 鯉幟 carp streamers for Boys 　
May 5


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MANEKINEKO 招き猫
The beckoning cat welcoming visitors 　


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manjuu kui ningyo 饅頭食い人形 Boy Eating Manju
From Fushimi
Eating Manju Buns
manjuu kui ningyoo
A boy holds a bun broken in two halves, to show he loves his father and his mother equally. When asked whom he loved more, father or mother, that was his way of showing it. He broke the bun in equal halves and asked: "Which tastes better?"

Now these dolls are bought with a prayer to become pregnant and have such a clever child.



Fushimi Clay Dolls / 伏見土人形

. Mingei Kukkii　みんげいクッキー　Mingei Folk Art Cookies - Manju .

Here are some more clay dolls with Manju buns.
http://kyoudogangu.xii.jp/mangiukui.html



. Folk Toys from Kyoto .

. Muraoka dolls 村岡人形 - Hyogo -


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noo ningyoo 農人形 dolls of farmers
from Mito 水戸

This one is putting down his hat to collect rice grains left in the field.
Other dolls are making dried plums, fermented soy beans or ricewine.
They are made of metal.

てのひらに梅雨の重みの農人形
te no hira ni tsuyu no omomi no noo ningyoo

in my palm
the weight of farmer's dolls
wet from the rains

Kageshima Tomoko 影島智子

. Folk toys from IBARAKI / IBARAGI .


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sea bream (TAI 鯛) for additional good luck
TAI is related to MEDETAIめでたい, an auspicious occasion.


iwai tai, iwaitai 祝い鯛、祝鯛 tai sea bream for festivities
They are made from papermachee and straw and sold at the local Nishi no Miya shrine.
from Shizuoka,Yokota Town 横田町の西之宮神
.
. Hikosan no iwaidai dorei 英彦山の祝鯛土鈴
clay bell with festive sea bream .
Fukuoka




Boy with Sea Bream
Fushimi Ningyoo 伏見人形 doll from Fushimi, Kyoto
also called 富山人形





pinpin tai ピンピン鯛 sea bream "alive and kicking"
From Kusatsu, Shiga 滋賀・草津




taiguruma 鯛車 sea bream on a float
Izumo, Miyoshi and other towns


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tawara ushi 俵牛 ox carrying rice barrels



There are many types in Japan. Some are clay bells. They are important auspicious items to thank for a good harvest.


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warazaiku 藁細工 things made from straw



During the winter months, many things were made from rice straw. Mostly necessities like sandals, raincoats and hats, but also some toys and auspicious decorations with rice barrels.


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Worldwide use


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Things found on the way

A lullaby

Nenneko, nenneko nenneko ya!
Kono ko nashite naku-yara?
O-chichi ga taranuka? — o-mama ga taranuka?
Ima ni ototsan no ōtoto no o-kaeri ni
Ame ya, o-kashi ya, hii-hii ya,
Gara-gara, nagureba fuito tatsu
Oki-agari koboshi! — 起き上がり小法師
Neneko, neneko, nenneko ya!


Okiagari koboshi Rolly-Polly Dolls

Sleep, sleep, sleep, little one!
Why does my baby continue to cry?
Is the honorable milk not enough?
is the honorable rice not enough?
Presently when father returns from the Lord's palace,
Sweets will be given to you, and also cake,
and all you want !
And a rattle as well, and a rolly-polly doll
That will stand up immediately
after being thrown down.
Sleep, sleep, sleep, little one!


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External Links

with many photos
郷土玩具展示室
http://homepage3.nifty.com/indymuseum/page130.html



Japan Toy Museum 日本玩具博物館　
English Homepage
http://www.japan-toy-museum.org/english/eindex.htm



omocha　おもちゃ　Cooking Toys


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Japanese cooking toys おもちゃ

There has been a boom in cooking toys in Japan. Those toys are so attractive that even adults buy them for themselves. Some of popular cooking toys are Takara Tommy's taiyaki (traditional Japanese fish-shaped cake) makers and soft caramel candy makers, Sega Toy's ice cream makers, and Bandai's norimaki (sushi rolls) makers. Using cute cooking toys, both kids and adults can have fun at home.
source : Shizuko's Japan Travel Blog . gojapan.about
International Tokyo Toy Show 2009 .



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HAIKU and SENRYU


丑三のわら人形が笑ふ夜
ushimitsu no wara ningyoo ga warau yoru

after midnight
the straw doll laughs-
what a night

or more literal

the night when
the straw doll laughs
after midnight

anonymous senryu




藁人形 wara ningyo,
a doll used for making a wish to kill or harm a person. At midnight, a nail is hit through the heart of the doll to fix it to a tree in a shrine.

ushi mitsu, the old double-hour of the ox beginning at one o'clock. mitsu signifies the third part of this time slot. A time when the spirits of the dead and the gods are alive too.

"a time when the trees and plants are asleep"
草木も眠る丑三つ時


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Kobayashi Issa 小林一茶


source
http://380334.com/SHOP/0200.html

Kobayashi Issa (June 15, 1763 - January 5, 1828)


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Related words

Daruma Doll Museum

Tairyoobata (tairyobata) 大漁旗 Ships Flags ...
and Big Fish Catch, Tairyoo 大漁 Daruma Doll


***** WASHOKU : General Information

***** . Regional Folk Toys from Japan .

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. hassaku dango no uma 朔だんご馬/ 八朔団子馬 horse offerings for Hassaku .
Sanuki, Kagawa

玩具菓子 - 郷土玩具と菓子、または遊び菓子 - tba

縁起菓子筑後吉井の七夕麦菓子
甘木のばたばた豆太鼓煎餅
天神堂あそび
縁起菓子砂糖人形の土型
言葉入りキャラメル「カランバ」
製菓用？陶器人形
芦屋かるたと八朔の「だごびーな」
おけそくとキリサゲ
クリスマス・クラッカーと｢豆の王」
うんちをするおじさん
唐子落雁
飴細工で復活祭のうさぎ
縁起菓子お菓子でできた天神さま
金花糖のこけし
神農さんの豆神虎
笹野一刀彫「古代ぽっぽ」
ペルーの生誕人形「ナシミエント」
中国の竈の神様の紙衣
京都三宅八幡の土の鳩と餅の鳩
川崎巨泉の玩具絵のなかの「ちんころ」
吉備津神社の「こまいぬ」
縁起菓子天神さんと線香花火
縁起菓子宮島の「たのもさん」
縁起菓子痴娯の家の「犬っこ」
ふの字尽しの菓子型
縁起菓子金沢の福徳
縁起菓子会津の小法師
あてもの菓子 . 弘前の生大王
赤坂土人形

- source : m-mizoguti.com -

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. gangu 玩具伝説, omochcha おもちゃ toy, toys .
Spielzeug und Legenden

. Mingei みんげいクッキー Folk Art Cookies .

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SPRING VEGETABLES

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The Japanese Vegetable Saijiki

野菜歳時記　　

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Please use your browser to find a word!

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Vegetables of Spring ... haru no yasai 春の野菜

***** Location: Japan
***** Season: Spring
***** Category: Plants

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Explanation

The Haiku SPRING starts on February 4, according to the Asian lunar calendar.

Spring is the time when a lot of sprouts and buds appear on the table or are made into preserves and pickles. I made an extra page with the pickles of spring, 春の漬物.
Tsukemono (Pickles)




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Early Spring


arrowhead 慈姑 (くわい) kuwai
shiro kuwai 白慈姑（しろぐわい）white arrowhead
ao kuwai 青慈姑（あおぐわい）green arrowhead
kuwai no me 慈姑の芽（くわいのめ） arrowhead buds
Sagittaria trifolia var. edulis
Its leaves look like a howe KUWA, hence the name. Since it is like a potato, it was first called　kuwai imo 慈姑芋　... kuwai.
Since its buds sprout quite visible, it is an auspicious food for "me ga deru", to have good luch (eyes coming out). It can be cut with six corners to resemble a little bell.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
Pfeilkraut

digging for arrowhead 慈姑掘る (くわいほる) kuwai horu
kigo for all spring

Suita kuwai 吹田くわい arrowhead from Suita town, Osaka

kuroguwai 烏芋 (くろぐわい) "black kuwai"
goi ごい、egu imo えぐいも、kuwaizuru くわいずる



leafy "february leaf" 如月菜 (きさらぎな) kisaragi na
..... kisaragina 二月菜（きさらぎな）, タアサイ

Mibu-leaf 壬生菜 (みぶな) mibuna
..... itona 糸菜（いとな） "thread leaf"
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


potato seedlings 種芋 (たねいも) tane-imo
tane imo 種薯（たねいも）、imo tane 芋種（いもたね）
imo no me 芋の芽（いものめ）potato sprouts
imonae 藷苗（いもなえ） potato seedlings


potherb mustard 水菜 (みずな) mizuna
uwabamisoo 蟒草 (うわばみそう) "large snake plant"
..... kyoona 京菜（きょうな） "Kyoto leaf"
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
Mizuna-Wildnessel
Xiu Cai, Kyona, Japanese Mustard, Japanese Greens, California Peppergrass, Spider Mustard
The taste of mizuna has been described as a "piquant, mild peppery flavor...slightly spicy, but less so than arugula."Mizuna makes an excellent salad green, and is frequently found in mesclun.It is also used in stir-frys, soups, and nabemono.
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !
Wildnesselart: Elatostema umbellatum.


spinach
spinach 菠薐草 (ほうれんそう, ほうれん草) hoorensoo, horenso
Spinat


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Mid-Spring


Aralia 五加飯 (うこぎ) ukogi
Fatsia japonica blossoms (yatsude no hana) Japanese Aralia


Chinese leek, garlic chives 韮 (にら)
kamira かみら、mira みら、futamoji ふたもじ
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


chives 胡葱 (あさつき) asatsuki
itonegi 糸葱（いとねぎ）、senbon wakegi 千本分葱（せんぼんわけぎ）
senbuki せんぶき


garlic 蒜 (にんにく) ninniku
葫（にんにく）、hiru ひる、
big garlic 大蒜（おおにんにく） oo ninniku
Ninniku Garlic


"Horsetail" horsetail 土筆和（つくし） tsukushi

mountain pepper bark 山椒の皮 (さんしょうのかわ) Sanshoo no kawa
bark of the mountain pepper

rape-like "nightingale leaf" 鶯菜 (うぐいすな ) uguisuna
also like komatsuna


radish in spring 春大根 (はるだいこん) haru daikon
sangatsu daikon 三月大根（さんがつだいこん）
nawashiro daikon 苗代大根（なわしろだいこん）
shitagsu daikon 四月大根（しがつだいこん）


Starwort 嫁菜 (よめな)Yomena

Wolfberry 枸杞 (くこ) kuko

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Late Spring


asparagus アスパラガス asuparagasu, asupara
matsuba udo 松葉独活（まつばうど）, matsuba udo 石刀柏（まつばうど）, seiyoo udo 西洋独活（せいよううど）, oranda kiji kakushi オランダ雉隠し（おらんだきじかくし）
Spargel


beans blossoms 豆の花 (まめのはな) mame no hana
..... soramame no hana 蚕豆の花（そらまめのはな） broad beans blossoms
..... endoo no hana 豌豆の花 (えんどうのはな) blossoms of shell peas
Pisum sativum


leek blossoms 葱坊主 (ねぎぼうず) negi boozu
..... negi no hana 葱の花（ねぎのはな）
..... negi no gibo 葱の擬宝（ねぎのぎぼ）
Leek (naganegi) green onions, scallion, porree Japan


"march leaf" 三月菜 (さんがつな) sangatsuna

Mugwort よもぎ (艾蓬, 蓬　ヨモギ) yomogi

myooga stems 茗荷竹 (みょうがたけ) myoogatake
Myoga Ginger (myooga) 茗荷 (みょうが). Zingi-Ingwer


suiitopii スイートピー sweet pea, Wicke
kakoo rensoo 麝香連理草（じゃこうれんりそう)
jakoo endoo 、麝香豌豆（じゃこうえんどう）
nioi endoo におい豌豆（においえんどう）fragrant endo
Lathyrus odoratus



radish blossoms 大根の花 (だいこんのはな) daikon no hana
..... hana daikon 花大根（はなだいこ）
Radish (daikon) Japan.


Rapeseed blossoms (na no hana) Japan

Spikenard, Japanese spikenard 独活（うど) udo
. . . moyashi udo もやし独活（もやしうど）sprouts of spikenard and more moyashi


sprouting vegetables 茎立 (くくたち) kukitachi
..... kukidachi くきだち
..... kukitachina 茎立菜 (くきたちな)
..... くくたち菜（くくたちな）, okuna 晩菜（おくな）


Wasabi, Japanese horseradish わさび、山葵.
Wasabia japonica

warabi 蕨汁（わらび）bracken

zenmai ぜんまい飯（ぜんまい） zenmai fern


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All Spring


brown mustard 芥菜 (からしな) karashina
..... 芥子菜（からしな）, nagarashi ながらし
aokarashi 青芥（あおがらし）
karashina 芥菜（からしな）、菜芥（ながらし）
Brassica juncea Czern. et Coss
From China, introduced in the Heian period. Different types in various regions.
It has a strong hot taste.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
Senf


garland chrysanthemum 春菊 shungiku "spring chrysanthemum"
Chrysanthemum coronarium
Mutterkraut


honewort, mitsuba honewort 三葉芹 (みつばぜり) mitsuba seri
mitsuba みつば
Cryptotaenia japonica. Added to many soups and salads.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
Dreiblätterkraut


lettuce 萵苣 (ちしゃ) chisha
chisa ちさ、kakijisha 掻ぢしゃ（かきぢしゃ）, tamajisha 玉ぢしゃ（たまぢしゃ）, retasu レタス、saradana, sarada-na サラダ菜（さらだな）
The use of lettuce for salad became popular in Japan after 1970. There are more than 200 different types of lettuce grown.
The Japanese word CHISHA goes back to the stem of the lettuce, when cut, some whitish liquor is coming out, "plant producing milk" 乳草 chi gusa .. chisha.
koogen retasu　高原レタス　lettuce from the highlands, best in July and August
Kawakami village 川上村 in Nagano produces the most lettuce in Japan. They are grown on white multisheets and harvesting starts at 4 in the morning, to bring them to the markets in town via truckloads.

hanimuun sarada ハニムーンサラダ
"honeymoon salad"
made only of salad leaves.
... Lettuce only ... let us only ...
Salat, Salatkopf


leafy spring vegetables 春菜 (はるな) haruna


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Japanese parcely 芹 seri, dropwort
Oenanthe javanica
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
Brunnenkresse, Rebendolde, Japanisches Petersilie
seri tsumi 芹摘（せりつみ）picking Japanese parcely
serita 芹田（せりた）field with J. parcely
seri no mizu 芹の水（せりのみず）water flowing through a J.parcely field
taseri 田芹（たぜり）J. Parcely from a field (farmed types)
... hataseri 畑芹（はたぜり）
nezeri 根芹（ねぜり）root of the J. parcely
mizuzeri 水芹（みずぜり）water dropwort
shirozeri 白芹（しろぜり）white J. parcely
dokuseri 毒芹（どくぜり）poisonous J. parcely

oozeri 大芹（おおぜり）large j.parcely

ekisaizeri 益斎芹（えきさいぜり）
Apodicarpum ikenoi Makino

sawazeri 沢芹（さわぜり）J. parcely in a swamp
... numazeri 沼芹（ぬまぜり）
nejirogusa 根白草（ねじろぐさ）plant with white roots
tsumimashigusa つみまし草（つみましぐさ）

Haru no Nanakusa 春の七草 Seven Herbs of Spring
Japanese parsley or dropwort (seri せり),
Shepherd's purse, (nazuna 薺),
cottonweed (gogyo 御行, 五形、御形),
chickweed (hakobera はこべら),
Buddha's Seat(hotoke no za 仏の座) Lapsana apogonoides,
Japanese Turnip (suzuna　すずな),
Long Radish (daikon)）suzushiro すずしろ.

seri is well loved in many hodgepodge dishes in winter too. It is grown in houses (for example in the area for Miseki seri 三関セリ) in Northern Japan. It is harvested with its roots, which are long and white and also eaten after removing all the earth.

There is an old story about a poor girl picking dropwort in winter, because her mother was ill and she could not afford better medicine. Prince Shotoku saw her, fell in love with her and made her his princess, hence the "dropwort picking princess" , Seritsumi Hime 芹摘姫. / Kashiwate Hime 膳夫姫.
膳臣傾子（かしわでのおみかたぶこ）
Story from the temple Kashiwate dera 膳夫寺 (かしわてでら), Nara.



Matsuo Basho in the year Genroku 6, when he was 50 years old.
When he visited some pupils and they treated him to this dish:
(The Seri is used to cover the meat taste of the duck meat. It was picked at the nearby irrigation pond of the foothills, which was still covered with thin ice.)


芹焼や裾輪の田井の初氷
seriyaki ya susowa no ta-i no hatsu goori / seri yaki

parsley baked duck -
first ice around the irrigation pond
at the mountain's foot

Written in 元禄6年, Basho age 50
He had been treated to some of this food by his pupils around Shokushi 濁子.

. . . . .


悲しまんや墨子芹焼を見ても猶
kanashiman ya Bokushi seriyaki o mite mo nao

does he grieve
the poet when he sees parsley
grow dark with cooking
Tr. Reichhold

Reichhold's comment:
"'Seri' is the 'water dropwort' or 'Japanese parsley' ('Oenanthe javanica'). It was baked with duck or pheasant in a soy sauce and vinegar marinade. The dish of cooked parsley and meat looked like the first ice on an irrigation pond."



seri no meshi 芹の飯 rice with dropwort
- Basho Haiku about Food 松尾芭蕉 -



seri no hana 芹の花 (せりのはな) dropwort flowers
kigo for mid-summer



. dropwort in winter 冬芹（ふゆぜり） fuyuzeri
kanzeri 寒芹 (かんぜり) dropwort in the cold



. Fern (shida) and seri .


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Things found on the way


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HAIKU




ぜんまいののの字ばかりの寂光土
zenmai no no no ji bakari no jakkoodo

the zenmai fern
is all round and round (like the character 　の　) -
Jakko Paradise

Kawabata Boosha 川端茅舎 Kawabata Bosha

Jakko Jodo 寂光浄土 (jakkoo joodo) "Pure Land of Tranquil Light" is one of the Buddhist paradises, the highest one of the four paradises of the Tendai sect.
The roundness of the new fern is compared to the promised paradise.


***** . Roundness and Spirituality .

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WKD : Haiku about Spinach


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Related words

***** The Asian Lunar Calendar. Reference


***** Rice, with many Japanese words
Rice plant (ine 稲, sanae 早苗 )
Rice grains are called "kome, mai　米".
On the table and cooked, it is called
"Gohan" ご飯 or "meshi" 飯　めし.


***** Planting, harvesting and preparing food in SPRING kigo


NEXT
*********** SUMMER VEGETABLES

BACK TO
*********** WINTER VEGETABLES

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- quote
On drinking, May and battling the blues
... As for spring food, for the sakanazuki (魚好き, pescaterians), there’s the hatsugatsuo (初鰹, new bonito) that the Tokyoite has valued for centuries. During the Edo Period (1603-1867), nyōbō wo shichini iretemo hatsugatsuo (女房を質に入れても初鰹, a man will pawn his wife if it means he can eat the new bonito) was a popular phrase — an interesting indicator of the Japanese male mindset.

On the veggie front, there’s the soramame (空豆, broad beans), and the medicinal haruno gosanke (春の御三家, spring triumvirate) of myōga, (茗荷, ginger), wakegi (分葱, scallion) and shiso (紫蘇, perilla) all treasured since the days of Japan’s oldest anthology of poems “The Manyōshyū” (万葉集) for their restorative effects.
- source : Japan Times, May 2014


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[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO . TOP . ]

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EKIBEN ABC Station Lunch Box

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! SEARCH THIS BLOG !
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Train Station Lunch Box (ekiben)

***** Location: Japan
***** Season: Kigo for late spring
***** Category: Humanity

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Explanation

ekiben 駅弁 famous lunch boxes at every train station,
Bahnhofs-Bentō
a box lunch (sold at train stations or on trains), railway boxed meal
railroad boxed meal, railway lunchbox


Ekiben Mark 駅弁マーク
Every officially approved ekiben carries this mark, since 1988.
日本鉄道構内営業中央会

On April 10 is the day of the Ekiben
ekiben no hi 駅弁の日!
The Chinese character 弁 looks like a 十 (ten) and the image of number 4 are combined in the image pun for this day.
Thanks to Mariko Shimizu for this info.


Bento, bentoo 弁当　lunch box, lunchbox, Lunchpaket

bentoobako, bentobako, boxes for this lunch 弁当箱

Bentō; O-Bentō, Lunch-Paket
Bentō-Schachtel; Frühstückskasten, Bentoschachtel


source : keionet. order bento online


Many department stores have special sales of famous EKIBEN. You can order them also online.
The containers too are attractive and many collect them. They can be made from ceramic, wood or plastic. Some can later be used as something else, for example a piggy bank.

Others are not so special on the outside and just have a nice label.

Ekiben should contain some rice to live up to its name.

There are also many sandwiches sold at stations.

There is also a museum, EKIBEN Hakubutsukan
駅弁博物館
external LINK
驛弁博物館


ekiben gurume 駅弁ぐるめ gourmet who travels to eat ekiben

In 2007, there were special ekiben prepared along the Tokaido line for its 120 years of existence.
東海道線１２０周年記念


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History of the Ekiben 駅弁の歴史

The first train lines opened in 1872.
A lot of written material has been lost during the war.
The first Tokaido line between Tokyo and Kobe opened in 1889 and since then the dining cars and lunch box operations became a general busines.
The first lunch boxes were simple nigiri rice balls.
In 1888 the first "maku no uchi bento 幕の内弁当" with more ingredients was sold at Himeji Station. It contained one box with rice and one box with the ingredients.
In 1890 the first lunch boxes with local specialities were sold at Ichinoseki and Kurosawajiri (Iwate). They sold sushi.
In 1899 the first dining car operated.

Some stations take pride in being the really first ones to sell this kind of lunchbox.

Utsunomiya 宇都宮 (Tochigi) in 1885
梅干入りごま塩握り飯
A simple nigiri with black sesame outside and a dried plum inside, and a slice of takuan pickled radish to go with it.
First made by the restaurant Shiragiya 白木屋.

Umeda 梅田(Osaka) in 1877
Kobe (Hyogo) in 1877
Travellers had to buy it before boarding. Mostly for soldiers of the "Seinan War" with Kagoshima and Kyushu. The ships with the soldiers sailed from Kobe to the south, and soldiers moved from Osaka station to Kobe station.

Koyama 小山駅 (Tochigi) in 1885
Okinazushi 翁ずし with nori seaweed, abura-age tofu and an egg.
Made by Kashiwaya 柏屋. An old maid called OKINA made very good sushi by hand and sold it.

Ueno 上野 (Tokyo) in 1883
made by Fujinoya 弁当料理ふぢのや

Kumagaya (Saitama) in 1883
Since the first day of the train line, they sold sushi and bread.
Ueno and Kumagaya lines opened in the same year and some sold the lunch boxes "outside the station" (eki mae).

Takasaki 高崎 (Gunma) in 1884
mentioned in a survey of Ekiben in 1956.
Some trains seemed to have had a dining car, shokudoosha 食堂車.
Takaben later became famous because they used a container with Daruma san.



Takaben - Takasaki Bento Daruma


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Bentoobako ― Lunchboxes with Daruma Bentoobako 弁当箱



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In 1914 the modernism of the Taisho-Period began and also the first world war started. More lunch boxes were sold at many stations. The wrapping paper for lunch boxes became more elaborate with special local designs.

During world war 2 rice became scarce and many lunch boxes served bread or other grains instead. Since 1945 after the war people got used to eating out and the consumption of lunch boxes soared. Also "army lunch boxes" (gunben 軍弁) became popular.

source . http://www.ekibento.jp/nos-senzen-gunben1.htm


After 1956 the Tokaido Main Line became electrified, in 1969 the Tokaido Shinkansen 東海道新幹線 started to run. Along with the travelling boom came the need for more and more specialized local ekiben.
Since 1960 there is an annual "Ekiben Meeting" ekiben taikai 駅弁大会 with a competition to win.
Even now, when people can buy cheap lunch boxes at convenience stores in front of a station, many still prefer the real EKIBEN.

The most expensive, by the way, is the one with special Matsuzaka beef and costs more than 100 dollars.
極上松阪牛ヒレ牛肉弁当

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Ekiben selling(駅弁売り) - The man or woman who sells "Ekiben"
on the platform to the passengers in the train,while the train stops at the station.
This work has gone since the current train window will not open, but The window from the Meiji to the Showa period was easily opened by hand.

Railway advertisement in the Meiji Taisho period
Lithographic Printing, a Beauty riding at the first class train and Ekiben Selling
36.5 cm × 25.5 cm
- source : Hiromi on facebook 2017 -


Georges-Ferdinand Bigot (1860-1927)
"Railroad between Tokyo to Kobe" published in 1893.
on the platform Ekiben selling · · · only for 1st,2nd class cars
- source : Hiromi on facebook 2017 -

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Famous Ekiben A B C

Aizu Wakamatsu (Fukushima)
Kurisansai bentoo with chestnuts and mountain vegetables


Goshokawahara (Aomori, Tsugaru)
Dazai bentoo だざい弁当 lunchbox a la Dazai


Hamamatsu (Shizuoka)
unagi meshi eel with rice


Hachinohe (Aomori)
tako ninniku buta kimuchi don 田子にんにく豚キムチ丼
Rice with garlic and pork kimchee




Hitoyoshi (Kumamoto) 人吉駅弁
kuri bentoo 栗弁当 with sweet chestnuts
kuri meshi 栗めし, served in a container shaped like a chestnut
ayuzushi 鮎すし sushi of a whole sweetfish
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


Kamogawa (Chiba) 鴨川
umi to sazae meshi うにとさざえめし rice with uni and sazae
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
oraga don おらが丼」"my very own bowl" rice with seafood
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


Kanayama (Chiba) 金山
biwa bentoo びわ弁当
ichigo mochi
kujira bentoo くじら弁当　



Kareigawa (Kumamoto ) 嘉例川駅
百年の旅物語　かれい川 Kareigawa : Hyakunen no Tabi Monogatari



Kisarazu (Chiba) 木更津
asari bentoo アサリ弁当 / 漁り(あさり)
nanohana bentoo 菜の花弁当　
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



Kobe (Hyogo)
Shin-Kobe Shinkansen
Toomasu ranchi トーマスランチ
Lunchbox with Thomas, the locomotive




Koriyama Kooriyama 郡山, Fukushima
Aizu Jidori Torimeshi 会津地鶏 Local Chicken Meat from Aizu Wakamatsu



Kuji 奥久慈駅弁 Oku Kuji Ekiben
Shamo Bento しゃも弁当 , Local Chicken Lunchbox


Kuroiso (Tochigi)
Kijiyaki, fried pheasant
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


Matsue ( Shimane )
Oyogi-ushi no bentoo　およぎ牛の弁当　 with beef from the "swimming cows" of Oki no shima 隠岐の島.


Matsuzaka (Mie)
Mootaroo bentoo モー太郎弁当

With the famous Matsuzaka beef!
also
極上松阪牛ヒレ牛肉弁当 : The most expensive one in Japan.
. . . CLICK here for Photos of the most expensive beef filet !
COWS in Japan and the World
The Daily MOOOO BLOG / Amy Chavez



Miyajima (Hiroshima)
Anago Meshi 穴子飯弁当 . あなごめし Rice with conger eel



Miyako 宮古 (Iwate)
Ichigo bentoo いちご弁当
Lunchbox with uni and awabi, sea urchin eggs and abalone


Mitsuwasoo (Miyazaki)
Mitsuwasoo 三ツ和荘道弁
sono manma そのまんま　宮崎地鶏丼 jidori don with local chicken




Nagoya (Aichi)
ganso misokatsu monogatari "元祖みそかつ物語”
Original cotelette with miso Story,
with cutlets on a stick
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

. "Nobunaga Bento"　「信長膳」Nobunaga Zen .



Nikko 日光 Tobu Line
masu sushi 日光鱒寿し Sushi from masu, local trout



Numazu Shizuoka
Minato Ajizushi mackerel sushi with extra wasabi



Oarai, O-Arai (Ooarai 大洗駅弁) Kagoshima
Isobushi Bento 磯節弁当 "Seashore Lunchbox"


Odawara (Kanagawa)
tai meshi たいめし


Odate (Akita)
大館駅, Oodate eki
Matagi na torimeshi マタギな鶏めし
Chicken with rice like the bear hunters




Okayama 岡山
Momotaro bento　桃太郎
. . . . . Matsurizushi 祭り寿司 Sushi with various toppings
. . . . . おかやま和牛肉弁当 Bento with beef from Okayama with 牛時雨（しぐれ）煮



Orio Kashiwameshi 折尾駅　 かしわめし Kitakyushu


Osaka
Shin-Osaka Tokaido Shinkansen and Tokaido
Hakkaku Bento 八角弁当 with eight corners
Conger eel roll, koya-dofu (freeze-dried bean curd), kelp roll, eggplant cut into pieces, taro and lotus root cooked in mild-tasting Kansai style. No deep-fried food.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !




Shimizu (Shizuoka)
Sakura ebi sushi 桜えびすし
sushi with sakura shrimp


Shimonoseki (Yamaguchi)
gansoo fukumeshi 元祖ふくめし
the original puffer fish with rice


Shizuoka
tai red snapper


Shuzenji (Shizuoka)
Ajizushi no ekiben あじ寿司 駅弁 Horse makerel sushi



Takamatsu (Kagawa)
Anpanman bentoo アンパンマン弁当
. . . CLICK here for Bentoo Photos !
anpan あんパン bread or bun with an (sweet bean paste)



Tateyama 館山 (Chiba)
Kujira bentoo
くじら弁当 Whale meat bento


Tokyo Station 東京駅
Shookadoo Bentoo 松花堂弁当 Shokado Bento


Toyama　(Fukui) 富山
masu no sushi 富山ますのすし Sushi from trout
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


Toyohashi 豊橋 (Mikawa)
Handheld fireworks bento 手筒花火 Tezutsu Hanabi Bento




Wakayama
Kodai suzume sushi, 小鯛雀寿し small sea bream sushi
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



Yatsushiro 八代駅 (Kumamoto)
Ayuya sandai 鮎屋三代 "Third Generation of Sweetfish"
with one whole sweetly simmered ayu fish. Forelle.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



Yokohama (Kanagawa)
Kiyooken shuumai 崎陽軒 シウマイ
Kiyoken Chinese shumai dumplings


Yokokawa (Gunma)
Tooge no Kamameshi, Toge no kamameshi 駅弁　峠の釜飯
Started in 1958 at 横川駅 as one of the oldest "travelling souvenier bento".
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


Yonago (Tottori)
Gozaemon sushi 米屋吾左衛門寿し Sushi
from sea brass or crabs. with a thick layer of konbu.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


Yonezawa (Yamagata)
gyuuniku domannaka　牛肉どまんなか Beef Domannaka Yonezawa beef and Domannaka rice.

Yonezawa gyuuniku Matsukawa bentoo
米沢牛肉松川弁当
CLICK here for PHOTOS !


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Lately there is a trend toward extra big ekiben:
mega ekiben　メガ駅弁 . 特盛



Special size Shumai Bento from Yokohama, since 2008



oomori ekiben 大盛り駅弁 Large-size ekiben
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


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Worldwide use


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Things found on the way

日本列島駅弁
source : BS JAPAN　駅弁列島

Ekibengaku kooza　駅弁学講座
Hayashi Junshin / Kobayashi Shinobu
ISBN 4087200523

Ekiben History
http://www.ekibento.jp/study-ekibenhistory.htm

Ekiben Museum
http://eki-ben.web.infoseek.co.jp/index.html


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HAIKU


駅弁に掌のひら程の鮭がつき　　
ekiben ni te no hira no shake ga tsuki

station lunch box ...
a piece of salmon
the size of my hand　　　　　　　

Hoshi Reiko 星令子


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ekiben -
my thoughts follow
the rails


a little drama
at every station -
ekiben


Gabi Greve, June 2009


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Related words

***** WASHOKU : General Information

***** WASHOKU : Regional Japanese Dishes

***** WASHOKU
Roadside stations (michi no eki 道の駅) Highway Service Areas


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***** WASHOKU : EKIBEN 駅弁 Station Lunch Boxes


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