SWEETS Western Japan

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Sweets from Western Japan

Süßigkeiten aus West-Japan (# Westjapan)
西日本　スイーツ




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　WASHOKU : HIROSHIMA 　
bataa keeki バターケーキ　 butter cake, Butterkuchen
hassaku daifuku はっさく大福 Mochi with hassaku mandarin juice
nejiripan, nejiri pan ねじりパン "twisted bread". gedrehtes Brot





momiji manjuu もみじまんじゅう / もみじ饅頭
manju in the form of maple leaves
Made with honey and kanten.
Itsukushima Shrine, Miyajima Island 宮島.
The island is famous for its famous maple forests, which turn all red in autumn. Momiji is a pattern on many souvenirs from this island.The famous shrine is a world heritage site.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
Manju in der Form von Ahornbälttern



oogon no purin 黄金のプリン golden pudding
made from good fresh milk of Utatane no Sato うたたねの里, Asehira Highlands 高原安瀬平
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
Goldener Pudding



sakamichi no machi 坂道の街
"from the town with many steep paths"
chou cream puff シュークリーム , filled with red bean tsubuan.
Onomichi is a small town with many steep sloping roads and stone steps.
Windbeutel mit rotem Bohnenmus



sake kasutera 酒カステラ castella cake with ricewine
Ho no kaori 穂の香 "fragrance of the rice ears"
made with local eggs and honey. and local sake form Saijo town 安芸西条の酒
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
Spanischer Kastenkuchen mit Reiswein




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　WASHOKU : OKAYAMA 　
millet dumplings 黍団子（きびだんご） kibi dango (Hirsekloß)
Momotaro tomato amanatto トマト甘納豆 Sweet tomatos with a sugar coating
tomato serii トマトゼリー jelly from Momotaro sweet tomatoes


Kibidango
岡山銘菓 ・岡山スイーツ
. . . CLICK here for kibidango Photos !



ekubo no okashi ichima えくぼのお菓子いちま
"cake with dimples"
wafers filled with tsubuan red bean paste
From Ichima, Tsuyama town
. . . CLICK here for Photos !




hakutoo serii 白桃 ゼリー jelly from hakuto peaches
Okayama is famous as growing area of these peaches.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
. . . hakutoo pafee 白桃パフェ parfait ice with peaches
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
. . . hakutoo pione kyarameru 白桃とピオーネ生キャラメル
hakutou kyarameru, caramel bonbons with peach or grape flavor
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
Gelee mit Pfirsischen



Hiruzen sweets 蒜山スイーツ
from the milk of the Jersy cows ジャージー in Hiruzen Highlands
Puddings, icecream, vanilla puffs, chocolate and more
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



Kibi Omote 吉備おもて
"Masks from Kibi"
Kibi is the name of the area, former Sanyo no kuni (including Bizen, Bitchu, Bingo and Mimasaka), full of old legends and Kagura religious dances with masks.
This is a castella cake dough, filled with an red bean paste.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



kome no naru ki 米のなる木 "a tree becomes rice"
a cooki-senbei-cracker
made in memory of an old song of the Edo period, which is of the area. Crisply baked with a soft inside.
made in the form of a naruko 鳴子 clapper
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
watashi ya, Bizen no Okayama sodachi
kome no naru ki o mada shiranu

I am born and grew up in Bizen, Okayama
I still do not know a tree that becomes rice



Okayama rooru 岡山ロール roll cake from Okayama
ロールケーキ / 岡山ロール醤油
made with rice flour. Soy sauce is used in the butter cream and in the dough.
CLICK here for PHOTOS !



takasebune yookan 高瀬舟 羊羹
yookan jelly in the form of flat river ships
These ships were used to navigate the three great rivers of Okayama far into the mountains, and have a history of more than 700 years. From Katsuyama, the precious metals form Izumo area and Iwami Ginzan where shipped downriver.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
Yookan in der Form eines Flußschiffes


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　WASHOKU : SHIMANE, Izumo, Matsue 　
kataramochi かたら餅（かしわ餅） rice cakes wrapped in special leaves, like kashiwa mochi
Mochi in Eichenblatt gewickelt


The Tea Ceremony of Matsudaira Fumai in Matsue
(松平治郷) (1751-1818) Fumai-Ko
is closely connected with many famous sweets.
WASHOKU
Matsudaira Fumai, Izumo Tea Master




dandanmanjuu だんだんまんじゅう, だんだん饅頭 "thank you manju"
White rice cakes . Inside is an, sweet red bean paste.
On top are three red adzuki beans, symbolizing the three pillars of the Grand Shrine of Izumo, which are famous for bringing together couples (enmusubi 縁結び ).
from Fukudaya, Matsue 福田屋
It goes back to the time of Matsudaira Fumai.
In the dialect of Izumo, dandan means arigatoo,thank you.
Enmusubi ... bringing together happy couples and Daruma




Gegege no Kitaroo senbei ゲゲゲの鬼太郎せんべい rice crackers with the manga figure Kitaro
鬼太郎煎餅
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



Genjimaki, Genji-maki 源氏巻 "Genji-Rolls"
a kind of pancake wrapped around sweet beans paste.
Named after the Genji Monogatary Story of Prince Genji.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
from Tsuwano 津和野, an old castle town in San-In on the border to Yamaguchi.
Made from an paste in three different colors from light to dard red-brown, from selected quality beans. Honey and condensed milk are also used for the dough.
They have the auspicious form of small gold coins of the Edo period (koban 小判)
Their history goes back to the Genroku period. They helped the Lord of the domain, Kamei Korekachi, to get out of trouble with Kira Kozukenosuke (you know this one from the story of the 47 ronin), so these sweets are also auspicious.
時の藩主･亀井慈親（これちか）が幕府から勅使饗応役を命ぜられ、指南役の吉良上野介に辱めをうけます。あまりの口惜しさに慈親は上野介を斬ろうと覚悟します。
これを知った家老・多胡外記は、大事に至らぬようにと機転を利かせて事なきを得たといわれています。
この時、家老の多胡が上野介に取り入るために使った進物、「小判包みの形のお菓子」が源氏巻の原型になったと言うことです。 困難を切り抜けることが出来たとても縁起の良いお菓子で贈り物に最適です。
Genji-Rollen.
. Tsuwano 津和野町 Tsuwano Festivals .



ikasumi senbei イカスミせんべい
rice crackers with the ink of squid
Oki no shima Island 隠岐の島
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
Cracker mit Tintenfisch-Tinte.


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Izumo no okashi 出雲のお菓子 Sweets from Izumo
Izumo no dagashi 出雲駄菓子 cheap sweets from Izumo

yuzu no satoozuke 柚子の砂糖漬け
yuzu jelly coated with sugar.
with kanten to harden the sweet.
(see photo)

hachimitsu soramame 蜂蜜そら豆
fava beans with honey coating
Saubohnen mit Honig
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

mameitatoo, mame-ita too 豆板糖
soybean candy bar
made from cooked soybeans or adzuki beans, in a flat shape and rolled in sugar. Kanten is often used to harden it.
This sweet has been intoduced in the Meiji period. Sometimes brown sugar is used for coating.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

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kurimanjuu, kuri manjuu 栗まんじゅう / くりまんじゅう manju rice cakes with finely ground sweet chestnut filling
Famous tea ceremony sweets from Matsue
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
Manju mit Esskastanien



roppooyaki 六方焼
"cubed rice cakes"
tea ceremony sweet from Matsue
Whereas manju are steamed balls of pounded rice, the roppoyaki are in the form of a cube.



wakakusa 若草　"fresh green" tea sweets
from Matsue, Saiun-Do 彩雲堂　
They were well loved by Teamaster Matsudaira Fumai-Ko.
They are the most representative tea sweet of Matsue.
Made from kanbaiko flour かんばい粉/ . 寒梅粉
Kanbaiko is a kind of flour made from fresh mochigome of the season, made in the season when the "plums in the cold" (kanbai かんばい【寒梅】 ) are blossoming. The rice grains are steamed, then dried and afterwards grind to flour. It is used for high-quality sweets.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
(kanbai 寒梅 (かんばい)plums in the cold, a kigo for late winter.)
mijinko みじんこ【微塵粉】 is similar to kanbaiko.



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　WASHOKU : TOTTORI

鳥取　スイーツ Tottori sweets. . . CLICK here for Photos !


Daisen Mirukubatake aisu 大山みるく畑 アイス icecream
Ice cream with the flavors of vanilla, strawberries, blueberry and macha green powdered tea.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
. . . Daisen miruku nama kuriimi daifuku　みるく生クリーム大福
Inside the mochi is plenty of fresh milk in the vanilla creme
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
Eis und Pudding von Daisen Mirukubatake Farm.



kuromame amanatto 黒豆甘納豆 sugar-glazed black beans
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
Glasierte schwarze Bohnen



kuromame pan 黒豆パン　bread with black beans
small sweet buns, Stückchen. They are a treat at many local wayside stations and highway stopovers.
Many varieties are available:
. . . kuromame amanattopan 黒豆甘納豆パン with sugar-glazed black beans
. . . kuromame anpan 黒豆あんパン with red bean paste
. . . kuromame genmai pan 黒豆玄米パン with brown rice
. . . kuromame kinako pan 黒豆きなこパン with soybean flour
. . . kuromame konomi pan 黒豆木の実パン with nuts
. . . kuromame kurosato pan 黒豆黒糖パン with brown sugar
. . . kuromame macha pan 黒豆抹茶パン bread with green powdered tea flavor
. . . kuromame mushi pan 黒豆蒸しパン steamed bread buns
kuromame no pankashi 黒豆のパン菓子 sweets with black bean bread

. . . CLICK here for Photos !



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　WASHOKU : YAMAGUCHI 　


genmaigohan no senbei 玄米ごはんのせんべい senbei made from brown rice
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
kenkoo genmai senbei 健康玄米煎餅 for your health
also with salt flavor 塩味



haruru no shi 晴るるの詩 ricecake "poem of a fine day"
made with special rice from Yamaguchi, koshihikari and yamatowashi
from 美東町. a kind of puffed rice sweets on senbei or white chocolate
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



hatoko no umi 鳩子の海 "Hatoko's Sea" manju
made in memory of a NHK television drama in Yamaguchi, since Showa 49.
With fresh cream from Hokkaido
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
. . . Reference


juuniisseiki nashi no nodoame 二十世紀梨のど飴 drops from juuniisseiki nashi pears
from Akiyoshi nashi pears 秋芳梨
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
Japanbirnen von Akiyoshi



kappu shifon keeki buruuberii カップシフォンケーキ《ブルーベリーCup shiffon cake with blueberries
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
Chiffon-Kuchen




kuranchi choko クランチチョコ crunchy chocolate
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
"Knusprige Schokolade" Riegel



natsumikan kashi 夏蜜柑菓子 sweets with summer mikan
"asagiri あおぎり" morning dew
only made in summer
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
Süssigkeiten mit japanischer Pampelmusenmandarine



natsumikan nodoame 夏みかんのど飴 drops from summer mikan
from Hagi
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
and other sweets with natsumikan summer mikan, a speciality of Hagi town.



shiffon keeki シフォンケーキ shiffon cake
from Yamaguchi city
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



tomatoserii 垢田のトマトゼリー jelly with sweet tomatoes from Akada
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
Gelee mit Tomaten



EXTERNAL
http://www.yamaguchi-bussan.jp/sintyaku/sintyakukako.html
http://goodpeople.mokuren.ne.jp/yamaguchi/p1-551167.html
http://event.rakuten.co.jp/area/

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Things found on the way


Ge Ge Ge no Kitarō (ゲゲゲの鬼太郎 and Daruma san !



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HAIKU and SENRYU



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Related words

***** WAGASHI ... Sweets SAIJIKI

***** WASHOKU : Regional Japanese Dishes
rakuten area sweets machi-raku　楽天　エアリア　スイーツ

***** . WKD : Red Autumn Leaves 紅葉 momiji .

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Sweets from Tohoku

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Sweets from Tohoku, Northern Japan

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

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Explanation


Sendai .. .. .. .. .. Dagashi 駄菓子　
Traditional Cheap Sweets

会津若松市本家長門屋さんの｢だるま飴｣
Daruma-Ame sweets
Aizu Wakamatsu, Nagatoya


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ame yobare, ameyobare 飴よばれ

There is nothing better on a cold winter day than to sit with your neighbours, taste some sweet ame and some tsukemono vegetables and chat. Especially in the Aizu area, this is a common treat in winter.

Made only with mochigome rice and sprouts from wheat this AME has a natural malt sugar sweetness 麦芽糖. It takes the housewife two or three days to simmer the ingredients slowly to a thick sweet broth and neighbours take pride in showing their skill at making it. So it is also a socializing event. Because it takes time to stir and simmer, the housewifes can not make it during the busy summer months.

. . . CLICK here for Photos !


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gomasuri dango ごますりだんご / ごま摺り団子
dumplings with black sesame paste
From Iwate.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

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komugi manjuu 小麦まんじゅう manjuu cakes from wheat flour
a typical steamed manju. They are full of red bean paste.
From Fukushima.



They originate from the hot spring 高湯温泉名物 Takayu Onsen and are sold one a piece.
- source : blogs.yahoo.co.jp/fukushima_iizakajuraku

. . . CLICK here for Photos !

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koorimochi 凍もち frozen mochi
The leaves of mountain goboo and sometimes other leaves are used after the first night when they have frozen. They are mixed with mochigome rice. They are formed and hung outside in the cold to freeze further and dry. They are full of minerals and quite healthy. They have a green color.
They has been prepared first during the great famine of Tenmei in 1782, when farmers were starving.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



kujira mochi くじら餅 "whale mochi cakes"
named so because they look like whale meat. Made from mochigome and uruchimai rice, sugar and some soy sauce. They are made from a different mixture in every family and people are proud to share their taste. They keep long 久しく良く持つ, and these characters can be read 久持良 KU JI RA, like the name of the whale fish.
Prepared for the Boy's Festival, May 5.
From Yamagata prefecture in the Mogami area.
© PHOTO :　xxx



kurikomochi 栗粉餅 mochi with sweet chestnut powder
Fukushima prefecture.
The mixture is carefully pressed and strained.
The sweetness is all natural.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !




matsukawa mochi 松皮餅（まつかわもち）"mochi from pine bark"
Speciality from Akita, Chookai and Yajima regions.
秋田県由利本荘市鳥海、矢島地域
The cork part of the bark of akamatsu pines is peeled off and cooked until soft. This mass is then mixed with mochigome.
Made with a wish for long life like the pine, prepared for festivals and celebrations.
One of the three colored mochi for the Doll Festival in this area:
三色の菱餅（白餅、蓬餅、松皮餅)
This has been prepared first during the great famine of Tenmei in 1782, when farmers were starving.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !




Monzen Kuroame 門前黒飴 Black sweets
From Tome town.
a hand made black sugar candy. The recipe has been handed down from generation to generation, and reminds us of what our grandmothers used to make.
Miyagi prefecture




Nanbu senbei, Nambu senbei, Nambu Sembei
南部せんべい
waffles from Morioka




ocha mochi お茶もち "tea mochi" rice dumplings
made from rice flour, round dumplings are flattened and put on skewers. They used to be called uchiwa mochi (handfan mochi), the pronounciation changed then to ujamochi うじゃもち ... ocha mochi.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
and
uchiwamochi, uchiwa mochi うちわもち (うちわ餅)
dumplings made of buckwheat flour, shaped like an uchiwa handfan, put on skewers,
see ocha mochi
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



sasadango 笹団子 "Bamboo-grass dumpling"
Dumplings from mochigome and yomogi mugwort, with a lot of sweet bean paste
From Niigata and Fukushima. They are wrapped in the leaves of sasa bamboo grass.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !




shitogi mochi しとぎもち
from Aomori, in the Tsugaru peninsula they where prepared for festivals with the wish for a bountiful harvest. They were offered to the gods on the god shelf (kamidana) and after this taken down and fried in the pan.
Prepared from mochigome, water and anko sweet bean paste.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !




Shirakami Man, Shirakami Manju 白神まん, 白神まんじゅう
sweet buns from the Shirakami Mountain area
. . . CLICK here for Photos !




Taihaku Ame 太白飴 "big white sweet"
Taihaku Ame is a traditional local candy made from wheat and glutinous rice. No artificial sweeteners are added . It is very nutritious.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


Tsuruko manjuu 鶴子まんじゅう "baby crane manju"
from Hachinohe town. Named after a dream about a crane to bring good luck.
A shop on the way to the important shrine Kushibiki Hachimangu 櫛引八幡宮 (founded in 1191) to venerate the protector deities of the Nanbu domaine.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


Yubeshi 柚辺志（ゆべし）sweet cake
Yubeshi is a traditional Japanese sweet cake, from rice flour and walnuts.It is not too sweet and typically served with green tea. Toyosato speciality, Miyagi prefecture.
.. . . CLICK here for Photos !




zundamochi, zunda mochi ずんだ餅 rice cakes with edamame beans
jindamochi じんだ餅
10 different kind of mochi from the local Miyagi rice are used for various dishes.

.. . . CLICK here for Photos !

Yamagata is also famous for these "zundanmochi　ずんだん餅".




Food from Tohoku, click here:



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Worldwide use

Süßigkeiten aus Tohoku

Die Winter in Tohoku sind kalt und schneereich, aber dadurch haben die Hausfrauen endlich Zeit für etwas Süße. Mehr als drei Tage dauert es, bis der Mochi-Klebreis zusammen mit den selbst gezogenen Weizenkeimsprossen ständig gerührt und zusammengesimmert ist. Nun ist es soweit, die Nachbarinnen kommen zum Probieren, denn diese „Einladung zum gemeinsamen Essen von Malzzucker-Sirup“ (ame yobare 飴呼ばれ) ist ein soziales Ereignis. Der Sirup wird in Reisschalen gegossen, mit etwas Puderzucker bestreut und als Kontrastgeschmack kommt noch etwas eingelegtes Gemüse auf den Tisch – das ist alles, der Rest ist das Gespräch, Plaudern unter Freundinnen, Klatsch aus dem Dorf als scharfe Würze.

Wenn der Schnee nicht rechzeitig schmolz, kam es oft im Frühjahr zu Nahrungsmittelknappheit, wenn die Vorräte aufgezehrt waren (shunkyuu　春窮 ). Not macht erfinderisch, besonders die Hungersnot, und so gehen einige Zubereitungsarten zurück auf die Große Hungersnot von Tenmei im Jahre 1782.

Für die „Kiefernrinde-Reiskuchen“ (matsukawa mochi) wurde in einigen Regionen Akitas die Korkschicht unter der Rinde der japanischen Rotkiefer mühsam abgekratzt und einige Tage weich gekocht. Diese Masse diente zur Verlängerung des gestampften Klebreises für die Reiskuchen. Die Rotkiefer, ein Symbol des langen Lebens, war ein glückverheißender Baum und so wurden diese Reiskuchen auch bei Festen gereicht, zum neuen Jahr und besonders beim Puppenfest am dritten März, wo sie ein Bestandteil der „dreifarbigen Fest-Reiskuchen“ (hishimochi) dieser Gegend sind.

Nach dem ersten Frost wurden die Blätter vieler Bäume gesammelt und mit Blättern von Gemüse, z. B. Gobo fein zerrieben. Der Brei wird wiederum dem Klebreis beigemischt und daraus Reiskuchen geformt. Diese mineralhaltigen haltbaren Nahrungsmittel hingen bis zum Frühjahr unter den Hausgiebeln, dem natürlichen Kühlschrank der Bergregionen.
Auch Esskastanien werden zu Puder gestampft und dem Klebreis für Reiskuchen untergemischt (kurikomochi).

Beifuß wächst überall wie Unkraut. Die Blätter werden getrocknet, kleingestampft und dem Klebreis untergemischt. Von Hand läßt sich diese Masse einfach in kleine Kugeln formen, die mit Blättern von Bambusgras (sasa 笹) umwickelt werden. Schon sind die „Bambusgras-Bällchen“ (sasa dango　笹団子) fertig. Sie sind in Niigata und Fukushima besonders beliebt.

„Zunda“ sind gekochte, geriebene grüne Edamame-Bohnen. Die Masse wird auf weiße Mochi-Reiskuchen geschmiert und als ein farbenprächtiger Imbiss gereicht.

Billiges Konfekt aus Sendai (Sendai dagashi)
Hervorgegangen aus dem einfachen Malzzucker-Sirup der Hausfrauen ohne weitere Süßstoffe begannen in der Edo-Zeit die Zuckerbäcker von Sendai, auf dieser Basis allerlei billiges Konfekt herzustellen. Bald hatten sie mehr als 100 verschiedene Süßigkeiten zusammengestellt, von einfachen runden Bonbons bis zu Mini-Zöpfchen, Zuckerhasen und Plätzchen aus Reisresten. Ihre besten Kunden waren die Kinder der Nachbarschaft, aber der Name „Dagashi“ verbindet sich heute mit vielen Kleinigkeiten, Süßigkeiten und Spielzeug, das die Kinder von ihrem kargen Taschengeld kaufen können; die Erwachsenen verbinden damit nostalgische Erinnerungen an die eigene Jugend. Oft gewinnen die Kinder auch noch mit einem Extra-Los eine weiter Kleinigkeit, alles bunt eingewickelt und appetitanregend. Der Dagashiya-Laden war der wichtigste Versammlungsort nach der Schule.

„Kranich-Manju“ (ｔsuruko manju) aus der Stadt Hachinohe sind eng verbunden mit dem großen Schrein Kushibiki Hachimangu aus dem 11.Jhd. Der erste Laden, der diese Manju herstellte, war Maneido an der hinteren Zugangsstraße zum Schrein. Der Ladenbesitzer machte sich Sorgen wegen seiner ungünstige Lage am Hinterausgang und bat den Gott im Schrein um seine Hilfe. Im Traum wurde er alsbald einem Kranich gewahr und schon war der Gedanke zu einem weißen Manju geboren. Brauner Rohrzucker und Reis aus der Gegend geben diesem Manju seinen unverwechselbaren Geschmack. Die Füllung besteht aus getrocknetem süßen Bohnenmus, daher ist der Manju recht hart zum Beißen, aber auf Wunsch der Kunden stellt Maneido auch Versionen mit weichem Bohnenmus her.

Klößchen mit Sesampaste (gomasuri dango) aus Iwate sind kontrastreich, außen schneeweiß, innen kohlschwarz. Die geriebene Paste aus schwarzen Sesamkörnern wird noch angesüßt und bildet auch einen geschmacklichen Kontrast zu dem neutralen Klebreis-Klößchen. „Gomasuri“, das kann aber auch „Schmeichelei“ bedeuten!


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Things found on the way


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HAIKU



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Related words

shunkyuu 春窮 (しゅんきゅう)
food scarcity in spring (kigo)
Famine 飢饉 kikin



WASHOKU : Regional Japanese Dishes


***** WAGASHI ... Sweets SAIJIKI


March 11, 2011
. Japan - after the BIG earthquake - 　　

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Purin Pudding

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Pudding (purin)

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

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Explanation


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shooyu purin 小豆島醤油プリン
Pudding made with the flavor of soy sauce.
speciality of Shodoshima, where soy sauce is produced.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


quote:
Children drown rice in mayonnaise, mix pudding with soy sauce — it makes you sick just to think of it, but the kids love it; it's what they've grown up on, and if you feed them less outlandish, more traditional fare, like homemade miso soup for example, they insist it's tasteless and won't eat it.
Food critic and activist Tsukasa Abe, saying that children's taste buds have been so corrupted by artificial food additives that natural flavors are simply lost on them.
source : 　japantoday.com

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chiizu purin チーズケーキ cheese pudding
from Hokkaido


oogon no purin 黄金のプリン golden pudding
from Utatane no Sato うたたねの里, Hiroshima prefecture


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salty sweets 塩スイーツ shio suiitsu

shio purin 塩プリン salty pudding
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


kamapurin 釜プリン/ 塩釜 pudding with salt from Shiogama town
塩竈（しおがま) Shiogama town in Miyagi
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



fukahire purin ふかひれプリン vanilla pudding with sharks fins
from Kesennuma, Miyagi


osakana purin お魚プリン vanilla pudding with fish
from tara fish
with vanilla flavor, cheese flavor or ikasumi squid ink flavor or chocolate flavor
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


MORE
Washoku Sweets LIST


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Worldwide use


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Things found on the way


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HAIKU



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Related words

WASHOKU : Regional Japanese Dishes


. WASHOKU
Milk Products 　


***** WAGASHI ... Sweets SAIJIKI

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Ningyooyaki figure waffles

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Figure waffles (ningyooyaki　人形焼)

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

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Explanation

ningyoyaki, ningyooyaki, ningyoo yaki, ningyoo-yaki　

waffles in the form of small figures
Ningyo-yaki
are small snack cakes, made from cooking batter of flour, eggs and sugar in an iron mold. They are sold both with and without sweet bean paste (anko).
Many come in the form of the seven gods of good luck (shichifukujin　七福神) or the great lantern at the Kaminarimon gate of Asakusa temple.


. . . CLICK here for more Photos !

They come from the Ningyocho-District of Edo.
人形町通り
This main street has many restaurants, teas shops and Japanese style bars (izakaya).
The confectionary stores sell the famous NINGYOYAKI from the area.
This sweet is also sold at Asakusa.



The people of Edo believed in the worship of the seven gods of good luck. Each shrine is located in the Ningyocho district. It takes about an hour to stroll around all the shrines. Each god has its own luck you can receive by visiting the shrine.





. WASHOKU
Benten, Benzaiten Ningyoyaki 弁財天 　
One of the Seven Gods of Good Luck


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A special one is the TAIYAKI
sea bream waffles 　鯛焼き taiyaki
kigo for all winter


WASHOKU : Asakusa


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Himeji 姫路名物『お城やき』O-Shiro-Yaki
Castle waffles


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Worldwide use

Figuren-Waffeln

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Things found on the way


Daruma San waffles だるま人形焼
There is a special waffle iron to make them !




. Daruma Yaki だるま焼き 　Taiyaki Daruma たい焼き達磨


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HAIKU and SENRYU



新緑に人形焼の香り立つ
shinryoku ni ningyooyaki no kaori tatsu　

among the fresh green
there is the fragrance of
figure waffles

Akane あかね
source : あかね


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Related words

***** . Shichi-Fukujin　七福神 Seven Gods of Good Luck .

***** WAGASHI ... Sweets SAIJIKI


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. Famous Places and Powerspots of Edo .


source : ゆたほん


Ningyoochoo, Ningyōchō 人形町 Ningyocho, Ningyo-Cho
"Doll district", "Doll-maker distsrict"
. 中央区 Chuo Ward "Central Ward" .


- quote -
Ningyocho is sophisticated district of old downtown Edo with history and tradition, located in central Tokyo’s Nihonbashi. This neighborhood with a flair of old downtown Edo is home of Amazake Yokocho street, and is popular among people young and old.


Mechanical figurine clock towers: Symbols of Ningyocho
There are two clock towers on opposite sides of Ningyocho-dori Street. They feature themes of hikeshi firefighters and rakugo comic storytelling.
On the every hour, from 11 am to 7 pm, their figurines move to entertain tourists and others passing by.

The area holds many traditional crafts shops dating back to the Edo period and tasty long-established eateries. One can experience Japan’s unique feel of the seasons that it is becoming harder to find today through seasonal events such as the Flower Festival, chinaware market, and doll market.
Ningyocho gets its name from being a town of dolls (ningyo). In the past, it was a lively town of those involved with dolls, such as doll makers, puppeteers, and puppet theaters. About 400 years ago in Edo era, when the Shogun Ieyasu Tokugawa ruled, Ningyocho was vibrant as the birthplace of Edo Kabuki theater. Puppet shows for the common people too developed into affordable entertainment, gaining great popularity.
The very famous Suitengu Shrine that is said to bring fortune for safe childbirth and childrearing can also be found in Ningyocho. On Inu no Hi* that is said to be a fortuitous day for safe childbirth, many pregnant women and their families come to worship at the shrine.
Ningyocho
is even today colored with the traditions and customs of old downtown and features sophisticated customs. It is popular as a town of tradition, and is lively with visitors of all kinds. Long-standing restaurants, traditional craft shops that exhibit skills passed down from the past, Japanese sweets shops indispensable for the tea ceremony, and more can be found here.
*Inu no Hi, literally “dog day”,
is day in the oriental zodiac that comes once every 12 days. From ages past, the first “dog day” of the fifth month of pregnancy has been a time when pregnant women traditionally wrap their belly in cloth and pray for safe childbirth. As dogs are said to have an easy time giving birth, this is a good time to pray for safe childbirth.
- source : ningyocho.or.jp/english -



. shinise　老舗　a long-established store in Edo .
Ningyoyaki Honpo Itakuraya (Ningyoyaki: small buns with the faces of deities)
Ningyocho Imahan (sukiyaki and shabu-shabu)
Ningyocho Shinodazushi Sohonten (sushi)

- reference : edo ningyocho -

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. Motoosakachoo 元大阪町 Moto-Osaka district .
Chuo ward, Nihonbashi, Ningyocho first sub-district

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. manekineko 招き猫 beckoning cat .

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. Food and Drink with Kappa 河童 .

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#ningyocho #motoosakacho #osakacho #ningyoyaki
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Mizubotan water peony

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Water peony (mizubotan)

***** Location: Japan
***** Season: Summer
***** Category: Humanity

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Explanation

"Water peony", mizu botan 水牡丹
Wasserpfingstore



This cake is often served during the tea ceremony in summer to provide a feeling of coolness.

Coolness in the Tea Ceremony

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Ingredients:
kuzu (kudzu, arrowroot) 1 part / 50gm (1.75oz)
sugar 2 parts / 100gm (3.5oz)
water 4 parts / 200cc (0.8c.)
pink koshian (smooth bean paste) approx. 20gm (3/4oz) per sweet

Preparation:
Prepare approximately 20gm (3/4oz) pink koshian balls that will be the center of the sweet.

Dissolve the kuzu in the water until all of the lumps are dissolved.

Place the kuzu/water in a heavy bottom pot (enameled cast iron is best) and mix in the sugar. Cook over low/medium heat, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens and begins to clear. (If the heat is too high, and the mixture thickens too quickly, remove the pot from the heat and continue to stir. When it cools a bit, return the pot to the heat.)

When clear, remove the pot from the heat and place in a pan of hot water to keep the mixture from hardening. Using a wooden spoon, take some of the hot kuzu (approximately 25gm [1oz]) and place on your finger tips (have a pan of cold water ready to cool your fingers). Place the an ball on top of the kuzu, turn upside down and form the kuzu around the an ball. Pinch the kuzu to enclose the an ball completely. (You can also wrap the formed sweet in plastic wrap, twisting the top closed, for a nice even shape.)

Place in a preheated cloth lined steamer and steam over med/high heat for 5 minutes or so. Remove from the steamer and allow to cool. Makes approximately 10-12 sweets.

Note -
Theses sweets can be served chilled but should not be kept in the refrigerator too long or they will become "rubbery."
source : www.midorikai.org :　Kimika Soko Takechi


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Worldwide use


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Things found on the way


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HAIKU



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Related words

***** WAGASHI ... Sweets SAIJIKI

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Kitchoan Kichoan Kitcho-An

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There are variuos establishments called KITCHOAN
きっちょう【吉兆】
(something lucky, and auspicious, a good omen.

Here I will introduce some as I find them


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Minamoto Kitchoan

Japanese Sweets around the World

Today, December 24, as every year, there is an advertisement on each page of our local paper, with the most delicious sweets, ikebana and photos to bring us the mood of the New Year of the Ox.

The main store is in Kamakura, where I lived for many years.

源 吉兆庵本店 鎌倉
Minamoto Kichooan Honten Kamakura

Named after Minamoto no Yoritomo, who initiated the Samurai Government of Kamakura in 1192.
In the second floor of this store you can enjoy some antiques of the time.



New Year Sweets with a little OX

Gabi Greve, December 24, 2008


. . . CLICK here for Photos !


Sweets set for the New Year

Sweets
MORE .. Sweets of the Season
MORE .. Regular Sweets


English Homepage


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Fukushorai Set:
This set is gathered to bring good luck for new years to come.

Darumasan: Less sweetened Kinton (sweet potato paste) with white beans
Oshishi: Black sesame paste wrapped with soft textured rice cake.

source : Fukushorai Set


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Kyoto Kitcho

WASHOKU
松花堂弁当 Shokado Bento Lunchbox

Kichoan Shokado Tea House
43, Yawata Ominaeshi, Yawata, Kyoto 614-8077 JAPAN


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Greeting from the Chairman 岡田拓士


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Worldwide use

OKAYAMA, Japan

"Flavorful desserts can do much to bridge hearts when people get together. They can enhance the moment when people cross paths, or they can convey a person's true feeling toward someone very special, "says Takashi Okada, President of Minamoto Kitchoan.

Matcha-flavored wagashi (sweets) are popular in Japan. They are consumed as cakes on special occasions such as festivals, as jelly-based cooling drinks in summer, and as French-inspired premium chocolates. One occasion in which they are not served is during tea ceremonies, in view of the fact that serving them with matcha tea would be considered redundant.

Minamoto Kitchoan was founded in Okayama Prefecture in 1947. The company produces traditional Japanese cakes composed of three ingredients: rice flour, azuki bean jam, and sugar. The Matcha Manju is prepared with rice flour, white bean jam, and green tea powder. It features a flavor similar to that of a Fig Newton® and has a two-day shelf life.

The company also produces Kasutera Green Tea Sponge Cake. Kasutera is a corruption of pão de Castella or Castile bread (Castile is a province of Spain). In the 16th century the recipe, together with gunpowder and tobacco, was transported by Portuguese merchants to Nagasaki, the only port open to foreigners. Castile bread boasts a long shelf life, an advantage for sailors embarking on long sea voyages. It is loaf shaped, is available in an assortment of flavors, and is extensively sold at festivals and as street food.

source : www.chajin-online.com


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Things found on the way


Ame, dagashi <> Sweets 　飴、駄菓子 with DARUMA

Wagashi 和菓子 . Japanese Sweets with DARUMA


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HAIKU

干支の牛だるまと友に和菓子なれ
eto no ushi Daruma to tomo ni wagashi nare

sweet surprizes -
Daruma and the OX
of 2009

Gabi Greve, December 2008



The famous Ox-Herding Zen Paintings
2009, year of the ox


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Related words

***** WAGASHI ... Sweets SAIJIKI
kichoan
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Minazuki June sweets

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"Month without water" (minazuki)

***** Location: Japan
***** Season: Late Summer
***** Category: Humanity

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Explanation


minazuki 水無月 (みなずき) sweets for June

The Chinese characters used to write the name of this month signify "Month WITHOUT water", but in fact it is quite the opposite. It is a month during the rainy season and used to be called "mizu no tsuki", month with water, which has later been contracted to be pronounced mina tsuki ... minazuki.



These sweets were the poor man's equivalent of a royal treat in June, when the emperor in Kyoto was served beans on shaved ice that was taken into a storeroom in the winter time. Remember, this refers to life without refrigerators in the Edo period.
The ice stores (himuro 氷室) for the emperor's court were in the north of Kyoto, protected by the shrine Himuro Jinja 氷室神社 in Kitayama.
. . . CLICK here for Photos of the Shrine !
Today you can only see a pit in the forest, where the ice was collected from the nearby lake and then covered with straw to last till summer.

The white paste referst to the snow.
The red beans (azuki) are auspicious to ward off evil.
The triangular form reminds us of ice and cools the mind.


June is the month in the middle of the year and people went to the Shinto shrines to perform purification rites and pray for good health in the next half.

WKD : Summer Purification Ceremony (nagoshi)

One famous ceremony is at the shrine Kita no Tenmangu 北の天満宮. After performing the rites of walking through the ring of straw (chi no wa, chinowa 茅の輪) the people of Kyoto would walk down the road and have some sweets at the local shop.

The white base of the sweets is also called UIROO 外郎（ういろう）.
One store makes these sweets with rice flour, so they are quite white to show the SNOW.
笹屋昌園　夏の水無月（みなづき）

Another store makes them with kuzu arrowroot starch, so they are more transparent to show the ICE.

The shops make this sweet only for a short time, some only in the month of June, and it is last eaten on June 30 to mark the end of the first half of the year and the new start, expecially the start of summer. After eating MINAZUKI, the people of Kyoto know that summer has really begun.

goken uiroo 五建ういろう（ごけんういろう）


Mina suki みな好き we all like it!
a play on words with the name.



chinowagayu, chinowa-gayu 茅の輪粥 rice porridge
chi no wa kayu, served on this last day of the sixth month.


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HAIKU and SENRYU

kigo for late summer
category season

minazuki 水無月 みなづき the 6. month in the lunar calendar
kazemachizuki 風待月（かぜまちづき） "month waiting for the wind"
tokonatsuzuki 常夏月（とこなつづき） "month of perpetual summer"
aominazuki 青水無月（あおみなづき） "month all green"


category observance
minazuki harae 水無月祓（みなづきはらえ）
WKD : Summer Purification Ceremony (nagoshi) 　



水無月の朝顔すずし朝の月
minazuki no asagao suzushi asa no tsuki

month of june
and the morning glories look so cool -
moon in the morning

Chora 樗良 (1729 - 1780)


Teapot for the month of minazuki


More haiku
http://www.haisi.com/saijiki/minaduki.htm


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Related words

***** WAGASHI ... Sweets SAIJIKI

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Momiji tenpura sweets

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Maple leaves tempura (momiji tenpura)

***** Location: Japan
***** Season: Autumn
***** Category: Humanity

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Explanation


momiji tenpura もみじ天ぷら/ 紅葉の天ぷら
tempura from maple leaves

A sweet speciality of the town of Mino 箕面 near Osaka. The Maple Park has a famous waterfall and 12 different types of momiji with 5300 trees.
The batter is prepared with sugar and sesame, so it tasts like a sweet. The oil for frying should be natane abura, rapeseed oil.
The leaves of a special kind of maple are pickled for one year in salt to make them tasty.
The momiji maple tree variety is called "ichigyooji 一行寺".
ogurayama ichigyoji, Acer palmatum , with leaves turning bright red.




Here is the legend about these sweets:
More than 1300 years ago. En no Gyooja 役行者, the famous ascetic, was practising austerities at Mount Minosan. He was enchanted by the read leaves of the trees of Mino Waterfall and fried them in the rapeseed oil of his lamp.

In memory of this scene, locals make this sweet tempura and give it to visitors.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
Tempura von roten Ahornblättern




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Minoyama Ryuuan-Ji　箕面山瀧安寺
Temple Ryuanji at Mount Minoyama
Mino Temple 箕面寺

The founder of this temple is En no Gyoja 役行者（えんのぎょうじゃ＝役小角/えんのおづぬ）.
It is a place of ascetic practises for Shugendo. The waterfall Mino no Taki 箕面の滝 is especially famous in autumn with the red maple leaves.

When En no Gyoja pracises austerities at Mount Katsuragi, he had a vision of "a mountain sending out light" in the north, so he went to look for it and found the impressive waterfall sending out light, or like a dragon. So he build a temple there and venerated Benzaiten 弁財天, the Deity of Water. Ryuuanji means "Dragon Peace Temple".

He practised for a long time in this area and attained supernatural powers here.




Meiji no Mori
Mino Quasi-national Park (Mino Waterfall)

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. Minoo no tomi 箕面の富 　（みのおのとみ）
lottery at Minoo 　
Minoo san Benzaiten mairi 箕面山弁財天参（みのおさんべんざいてんまいり）/ 辨財天
Visiting Benten at Mount Minoo
and more BENTEN kigo



Daruam Museum : En no Gyoja


Maple leaves, red autumn leaves (momiji)
kigo for haiku


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Things found on the way


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HAIKU




ダンス友もみじ天ぷら銘菓なり
dansutomo momiji tenpura meika nari

friends from dancing -
maple leaves tempura,
famous sweets indeed

source : korotaro.shashin-haiku.jp 薫子

We can imagine her friends from a flamenco dance group, eating these sweets together after a trip to the area.


. WKD : Red autumn leaves, red leaves (momiji) .



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Related words

Dishes from Osaka
Speisen aus der Stadtpräfektur Osaka


***** WAGASHI ... Sweets SAIJIKI

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Mitarashi dango Kyoto

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Mitarashi Dango .. Dumplings

***** Location: Japan, Kyoto
***** Season: Late Summer
***** Category: Humanity

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Explanation

mitarashi dango 御手洗団子（みたらしだんご)
rice dumplings

These dumplings are eaten at the Mitarashi festival (Mitarashi-E 御手洗会（みたらしえ）) of Shrine Shimogamo Jinja in Kyoto 京都の下鴨神社.



visiting for the Mitarashi festival, mitarashi moode
御手洗詣 みたらしもうで
Tadasu no suzumi 糺の納涼（ただすのすずみ）
coolness of the Tadasu forest

Shimogamo no misogi 下賀茂の御祓 (しもがものみそぎ)
purification rituals 下鴨の御祓（しもがものみそぎ）

Mitarashi Matsuri, Mitarashi Festival is another name.
On the day before Autumn starts in August.

This is one of the many "harae" purification ceremonies, purifying the body from the ban influences of the past six months and praying for good fortune in the coming six months.

The details of this kind of ceremony are here
Summer Purification Ceremony (nagoshi, harae, misogi and more) .
The shrines of Kamo and Shimogamo Jinja have played a very important role for Kyoto and its water suppy.


. temizuya 手水舎　purification font for hands - mitarashi 御手洗 .


In this article, I will concentrate on the dumplings.

mitarashi "honorable washing of hands" is now also the general name of the water basin at the entrance to a shrine or temple, where you rinse your hands and mouth for purification. The name probably comes from the form of the bubbles produced when washing your hands at this basin.


Mitarashi area at Shimogamo Shrine, Kyoto


The dumplings made as offerings to the gods are in the colors white, red and green. They are the origin of the mitarashi dango which are now sold in many places of Japan. Usually there are three on a stick of dango dumplings, but these ones come as five on a stick.



Various types of other mitarashi dango

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Japanese have been eating dango since the Jomon period, many prepared from nuts of the forest, which they pounded to flower and mixed with gruel to survive in wintertimes. Later the flower of grains was also mixed into dumplings.

Since the Muromachi period, dumplings were put on sticks, in the 16th centure five dumplings on a stick were the rule. Since the Edo period, they became even more popular, hana yori dango, to enjoy the dumplings more than the cherry blossoms, is a common saying. Since 1760, one stick contained only four dumplings.

For the Aoi Festival and the Mitarashi Festival at Shimogamo shrine, people bring these dumplings as an offering for the gods.
Legend knows this:
When Emperor Godaigo (1288-1339)came here to worship and took out some water to purify his hands, one big bubble came up first and then four others followed. He interpreted these bubbles as the human body (go tai　五体) and thus four dumplings and one smaller one on the top became a special offering at this shrine for purification purposes. After offering them to the gods, people would take them home, grill them a bit over fire and add some soy sauce for flavoring and eat them in the hope for good luck.

In the Kanto area there were four small dumplings on a stick, layed out in the form of a fan using 10 sticks on a plate. The present form dates to the Taisho period, when the habit of one tea shop owner from the shrine area became standard, putting soy sauce and some sugar over the dumplings. Now people in Kyoto and Kansai think of these dumplings as a sweet snack, especially eaten in summer. In the Kanto area, the dumplings are usually simply round and of the same size, whereas in Kansai they can be oblong.




There is also a kind of famous mitarashi dango in the town of Takayama in Gifu prefecture. They are grilled with soy sauce only and therefore not sweet at all.
They might have come from the Shimogamo tradition before the Taisho period when sweet dumplings were not favored in this area.

Nowadays the round dumplings are mostly made by maschines and all of the same size. To produce dumplings of different sizes is more exensive, so usually they are all similar nowadays, when you buy them in supermarkets and sweets shops.

Some shops around Shimgamo Shrine still make the five ones by hand.

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Other kinds of DANGO dumplings

kushidango 串だんご / くし団子 dumplings on skewers
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
They are usually served with a sweet sauce.


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Dango 団子 is a Japanese dumpling made from mochiko (rice flour), related to mochi. It is often served with green tea.

Dango are eaten year-round, but the different varieties are traditionally eaten in given seasons. Three to four dango are often served on a skewer. One variety of dango from Hokkaidō is made from potato flour and baked with shoyu (soy sauce).

Types of dango
There are many different varieties of dango which are usually named after the various seasonings served on or with it. [1]

Anko: Commonly known as (sweetened) red bean paste, while ingredients other than azuki are used on rare occasions. An-Dango is the most popular flavor in Japan.
Bocchan dango: Dango that has three colors. One is colored by red beans, the second by eggs, and the third by green tea.
Chichi dango: Slightly-sweet light treats usually eaten as a dessert.
Hanami dango: Also has three colors, Hanami dango is traditionally made during Sakura-viewing season. Hence the name Hanami (Hana meaning flower, and mi meaning to see).
Goma: sesame seeds. It is both sweet and salty.
Kinako: A toasted soy flour.
Kushi dango: Dangos held by a skewer
Mitarashi: A syrup made from shouyu (soy sauce), sugar and starch.
Teppanyaki: Dango on a skewer with a tangy teppanyaki taste.

In 1999, dango experienced a surge of popularity in Japan following the release of a song entitled "Dango san kyōdai" (three dango brothers). The CD single sold over 2.9 million copies, making it the 4th best selling CD single in Japan during 1968-2006.
In the extremely popular Japanese film series Otoko wa Tsurai yo, the family of lead character Kuruma Torajirō (Tora-san) operated a small traditional dango shop in Shibamata, Katsushika, Tokyo.
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !

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Worldwide use

Mitarashi Reismehl-Bällchen


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Things found on the way

Shrine Shimogamo Jinja
Gods worshipped here Kamo Taketsu-no-mikoto, father of the princess
Tamayori-hime-no-mikoto, who became pregnant by a mysterious arrow floating down the river and gave birth to Wake-ikazuchi-no-kami.
The Kamigamo Shrine is in his honor, Kamowake-ikazuchi Shrine.
These two gods, grandfather and grandchild, mi-oya, mioya, are the tutelary deities of the Kamo clan.
The shrines were errected to protect the capital, which then moved on to Heiankyo.
It is the protector shrine of the forest Tadasu no mori 糺の森, where two rivers meet, the Kamogawa 賀茂川 and the Takanogawa 高野川. Many kiri zelkova and kusu camphor trees grow here. The god Kamo Taketsu no Mikoto, who came here to pass a judgement (tadasu) for a disput of the local residents.
The Aoi Festival is the most famous of this shrine complex.
More elsewhere.


Shimogamo Shrine Arrow Ceremony, yatori shinji
矢取り神事 　


First Kick-Ball Game (mari hajime)
The first game takes place on January 4 at Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto.
kigo for the New Year


fresh clear water !

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The Christian connection of the Mitarashi - a Christian baptism?

. The Hata Clan 秦氏　Hata Uji .
and the Christian connection


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HAIKU

花よりも団子やありて帰る雁
hana yori mo dango ya arite kaeri kari

better eating dumplings
than watching cherry blossoms -
geese flying home

Matsunaga Teitoku 松永貞徳 (1571-1653)
Tr. Gabi Greve


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Related words

***** WAGASHI ... Sweets SAIJIKI

***** WASHOKU : Regional Japanese Dishes


. DANGO as kigo for all seasons


Saijiki of
Japanese Festivals, Events and Ceremonies
Shimokamo shrine - #mitarashidango -
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