Mie Prefecture

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Mie Prefecture



Mie Prefecture (三重県, Mie-ken) is a prefecture of Japan which is part of the Kinki and Chūbu regions on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Tsu.

Evidence of human habitation in Mie can be dated to more than 10,000 years ago. During the Jōmon and Yayoi periods, agricultural communities began to form along the river and coastal areas of the region. Ise Shrine is said to have been established during the Yayoi period, and in the 7th century the Saikū Imperial Residence was built in what is now Meiwa Town to serve as both a residence and administrive centre for the Saiō, an Imperial Princess who served as High Priestess of Ise Shrine.

During the Edo period, the area now known as Mie Prefecture consisted of several feudal domains, each ruled by an appointed lord. Transport networks, including the Tokaido and Ise Roads, were built. Port towns such as Ohminato, Kuwana and Anōtsu, posting stations and castle towns flourished. Pilgrimages to Ise Shrine also became very popular.

Mie Prefecture forms the eastern part of the Kii Peninsula, and is bordered by Aichi, Gifu, Shiga, Kyoto, Nara, and Wakayama. It is considered to be a part of both the Chūbu and the Kinki regions due to its geographical proximity to Aichi Prefecture and its cultural influence from Kinki, such as the fact that Kansai dialect is spoken in Mie. Traditionally, though, the Iga region of Mie is considered to have always been a part of Kansai.

Mie Prefecture has traditionally been a link between east and west Japan, thanks largely to the Tokaido and Ise Pilgrimage Roads. Traditional handicrafts such as Iga Braid, Yokkaichi Banko Pottery, Suzuka Ink, Iga Pottery and Ise Katagami flourished. With 65% of the prefecture consisting of forests and with over 1,000 km of coastline, Mie has a long been associated with forestry and seafood industries. As well as this, Mie produces tea, beef, cultured pearls and fruit, mainly mandarin oranges.
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. Ise Grand Shrine 伊勢神宮　 Schrein Ise Jingu 　　
and related KIGO
Amaterasu Oomikami 天照大神（あまてらすおおみかみ・てんしょうだいじん）Amaterasu Omikami
Toyouke Oomikami 豊受大神 (とようけおおみかみ) Toyouke Omikami
The goddess of agriculture and industry in the Shinto religion. At the Gegu 下宮 in Ise.
She offers food to Amaterasu.


Kumano Kodō、Kumano Kodo, Kumano Kodoo 熊野古道
World Heritage Site. Ancient road in southern Mie once used by pilgrims.

Mikimoto Pearl Island


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Local Dishes from Mie　三重県の郷土料理


aimaze あいまぜ "mixed delight"
with dried radish, carrots, lotus roots, konnyaku, shiitake, taro roots and stems, fried in oil and soy sauce, with sweet vinegar as seasoning. Made for family festivals.
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akafuku 赤福 a sweet made with mochi and sweet red bean paste
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amago sushi あまご寿司 amagu (a sweet water fish) sushi
Oncorhynchus rhodurus. 甘子
It tasts quite crunchy and good with vinegar.
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and other amago dishes アマゴ料理. It is a speciality of Tsu city and 美杉町.


aramemaki, arame-maki あらめ巻 fish wrapped in arame kelp
WASHOKU : arame 荒布 Eisenia bicyclis.


arare ochazuke あられお茶漬 arare senbei with green tea
You shovel a good portion in a large bowl, add some sugar and then poor green tea over it. They get funyafunja soft.
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awabimeshi, awabi-meshi あわびめし rice with abalone
An expensive delicacy at Ise Shrine.
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bekkoozushi, bekkoo sushi, bekko sushi べっこう寿司 'Tortoise-shell sushi'
sushi with "pickled" fish in soy sauce marinade, to make it look like the color of tortoiseshell Bernstein.
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bora no heso ぼらのへそ "navel of the springer"
Bora ぼら【鯔／鰡】, striped black mullet; a springer
WASHOKU : bora, an auspicious fish
Actually, it is the stomach prepared to eat. Often barbequed.
ibukuro　胃袋　stomach
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chazuke 茶漬け
after eating fried or boiled fish, tea (or simply hot water) is poored over the bones, head and other leftovers, which are carefully washed with the liquid. This is then slurped out of the plate. Or poored over rice and eaten.
This is very healthy, called "isha shirazu 医者知らず" or "isha koroshi　医者殺し", no need for a doctor.




dengara でんがら dumplings with anko wrapped in a hoo-leaf
ほう葉だんご
from Iinan town 飯高


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fukidawara 蕗俵（ふきだわら）
"butterbur barrels"
rice with beans, wrapped in fuki leaves
They were prepared during the rice field planting season and put as offerings for the deities on the side of the fields.

Here you see a woman praying for a bountiful harvest.





hijiki nimono ひじき煮物 boiled hijiki seaweed
from 伊勢志摩 Ise Shima region. Ise hijiki 伊勢ひじき
Shima is one of the foremost producers of hijiki in Japan.
Hizikia fusiformis. Braune Meeresalge


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Ise ebi 伊勢エビ料理 lobster from Ise
from 伊勢志摩 Shima
They are prepared in many ways.
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Ise takuan 伊勢たくあん pickles radish from Ise
rather thick and round, the skin is thick. Made since the end of the Meiji period.



Ise udon　伊勢うどん　 ... see menrui, udon.
They are rather thick and soft. The soup is made with tamari soy sauce
served at （伊勢神宮）Shrine Ise Jingu to the pilgrims.



Itoin Senbei, ito-in senbei いといんせんべい. 絲印煎餅
Senbei with a "stamp like a thread"
Made by Hadaya Shop 播田屋, who owns three old metal stamps.
They are specially soft and made with a stamp (in) from olden times. The imperial family likes to eat them on their round to Ise shrine.
There are only 7 senbei in one pack, since the time when Meiji tennoo could only eat 7 out of a pack with 10.
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iwashizushi, iwashi sushi イワシ寿司 sushi from herrings
from the Satonakakokoro area 里中心



jibu じふ sukiyaki-type fish
魚のすき焼き風, jibunabe じふ鍋
from the Northern parts of the prefecture


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kaizu no himono かいずの干物 dried small sea bream
kaizu are the small black sea breams (kurodai 黒鯛 ). They are cut open on the back, marinated in soy sauce and dried in the sun. From Ocotber to November in the Toba area. 鳥羽地方
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kakimeshi カキ飯 rice with oysters
The oysters are boiled together with the rice in the same pot.


katsuo chazuke かつお茶漬け bonito on rice with tea
The fish is marinaged in soy sauce. Served with ginger and nori.
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kijinabe きじ鍋 hodgepodge with pheasant meat


kinko きんこ dried sweet potatoes
a snack for children and ama female divers
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koonago no kama-age コウナゴの釜揚げ boiled small sand lance
koonago is the local name for ikanago イカナゴ いかなご【玉筋魚】sand lance, sand eel lance
Ammodytes personatus
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Kuwana no hamaguri ryoori 桑名の蛤料理 clam dishes from Kuwana town
At the estuaries of the rivers Kisogawa, Naragawa and Machiyagawa 町屋川.
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kyuuri no hiyajiru キュウリの冷や汁 cold cucumber soup
It is put on hot mugimeshi rice. A mix between chazuke and salad. The soup has a miso taste.


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manboo ryoori マンボウ料理 dishes from moonfish (headfish)
Mola mola. Mondfish. まんぼう 【翻車魚】 満方 ocean sunfish
This fish is caught in Eastern Kishu. Eaten as sashimi, in vinegar, as sukiyaki. Even the intestines (kowata コワタ（腸）are dried and eaten.
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Manbo (Mambo) is also eaten in Miyagi prefecture.

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Manjuu kaidoo 饅頭街道 Manju Road
Mie is famous for more than 15 different kinds of manjuu dumplings.
They were prepared by the various tea shops in front of the Ise Shrine and people would buy them as presents nowadays.

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akafukumochi 赤福餅

The Manju Road leads from Ise shrine.
There are other Manju Roads in Japan too, for example one in Nagasaki.

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Matsuzaka beef


moroheiya udon モロヘイヤうどん udon noodles with moroheya
The moroheya powder is mixed with the wheat flour for making green noodles.
Corchorus Olitorius. Jew's marrow.
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nabana no ohitashi なばなのおひたし boiled rapeseed buds and young leaves
Very old dish of the Ise region.


nabemochi なべ餅 "hodgepodge mochi"
Mochi are made with anko and yomogi, rolled in kinako soy flour.
from 大紀町 Taiki Town
This was only prepared on auspicious situtations and the mochi were given to the neighbours and friends.


namako no su no mono なまこの酢の物 sea cucumber with vinegar
sea cucumber is also eaten in other dishes, often for New Year.


nameroo なめろう chopped raw fish with sake and miso paste
In Mie, apart from fish, sazae turban shell is used.
さざえのなめろうsazae no nameroo
also eaten in Chiba.


niken chaya mochi 二軒茶屋餅（にけんちゃやもち）mochi from Niken Chaya shop, Kakuya 角屋


nubarizushi, nubari sushi めばり寿司 sushi with takana leafy vegetable
a form of takanazushi. 高菜 takana leaves are marinated in nibaizu or sanbaizu vinegar and then the warm leaf wrapped around sushi rice.
takana, Brassica juncea var. integrifolia. Wirsingart
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. Takana 高菜 mustard greens .

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Oga no aburi 梶賀のあぶり smoked small fish from Oga town
from 尾鷲市梶賀浦
Prepared in May and June.
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oojiki jiru 大敷き汁 "soup after a good catch"
miso-based soup with the fresh catch. Saba, ika, katsuo, aji, sometimes even Ise lobsters.


. o-nyudo senbei おにゅうどうせんべい rice crackers

osasuri おさすり dumplings（ebitsu えびつ）
from Eastern Kishuu 御浜町
a kind of kashiwamochi
Prepared one month later than the normal Boy's festival, on June 5, and for the girls.


Sakatejima no uni 坂手島の雲丹 sea urchin from Sakatejima
Best for sushi.
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same no tare サメのたれ Samenotare, dried white shark meat
In Ise, shark is served with two different flavors, salt or sweet sake (mirin).
It is often served as a side dish. Ssamenotare goes well with drinks or served on top of rice.
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sanmazushi 秋刀魚寿司 （さんまずし） sanma sushi
sushi from pacific saury. Instead of wasabi, a bit of Japanese karashi mustard is used before the fish is pressed on the rice. サンマ寿司
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sazae no tsuboyaki さざえの壺焼き sazae turban shell grilled in the shell
Batillus cornutus


sekihan mochi 赤飯もち mochi made from mashed red rice


shigure hamaguri 時雨はまぐり, 時雨蛤 sweet simmered clamshells
English Reference : sweet cooked clams



sooheinabe, soohei nabe 僧兵鍋 hodgepodge for the monk-soldiers
Near Yunoyama onsen hot spring is the temple of the Tendai sect, 三岳寺, where the monks function as soldiers too and need some stamina. There are even pork bones used for broth, then radish, carrots, Konnyaku, lotus roots, taro and yam, bamboo shoots and even wild boar meat are used.


tekonezushi, tekone sushi てこねずし . 手こねずし fish zushi mixed with the hands


Tsu gyooza 津餃子 gyoza from Tsu town
They are very large, about 5 time the contents of a normal dumpling. They are fried and eaten without sauce.
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unagi ryoori うなぎ料理 eel dishes
from Tsu town. In Tsu most of the eel in all of Japan is eaten.

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watarikaki 渡利牡蠣（わたりかき）Oysters from the Kihoku　紀北町 region. It is almost a sweet water lake with an underlying current of sea water.
They are also called
Kooboogaki 弘法ガキ

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Commercial oysters are produced since the Showa period.They have a juicy taste. This is as a result of its production in the nutrient-rich water of the local Funatsu River and Sea of Kumano. They are lowered to salt water after a typhoon or great rain, when the river brings lots of nutrition for the oysters. Later they are put in a higher position of the fresh water of lake Shiraishiko 白石湖.　So the oyster farmers are quite budsy checking the saltiness of the lake water.
Taken out of the water, they keep fresh for about 5 days if they are not opened.

The oysters are eaten fried or raw, but also in soup (kakijiru　牡蠣汁) or on sushi rice with a bit of hot mustard (kakizushi 牡蠣寿司 ).



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HAIKU and SENRYU



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Related words

***** WASHOKU : Regional Japanese Dishes

***** . Folk Toys from Mie .
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Miyazaki

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Miyazaki (Miyasaki) 宮崎



Miyazaki Prefecture (宮崎県, Miyazaki-ken) is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. The capital is the city of Miyazaki.
Old Hyuuga Province, Hyuga.

Miyazaki has a total area of approximately 7,734 km², and a population of 1,166,074 people. In addition to its year-round warm climate, Miyazaki's weather is among the best in Japan based on the amount of fine days, sunshine, and precipitation, due to the influence of warm currents off the coast.
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Specialities from Miyazaki
PHOTOS to enjoy !


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Dishes from Miyazaki　宮崎料理
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Kobiru, cobiru, kobilu （こびる） 小昼　 "small lunch", rural lunch
Takachiho village 高千穂こびる研究会




mango 宮崎マンゴ Mangoes
..... mangooshu マンゴー酒 mango liquor


mango liquor from red sweet potatoes
赤芋焼酎仕込みマンゴー酒
From Kushima Town 串間市
The bottle is beautifully shaped and the colors of the box bring joy.




nikumaki 肉巻き, 肉巻きおにぎり
rice wrapped into a piece of meat
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sumiso, su miso 酢味噌 miso sauce with vinegar
often some white sesame is added.
This sauce is added to many dishes, noodles are dipped in it, so is raw white fish.
Plain fried unagi eel (suyaki) is also served with this sauce.
It helps digestion during the hot summer days.
Miyazaki is also the third largest producer of eel 宮崎うなぎ.




toshikasa mochi としかさ餅 mochi with sweetpotatoes
They are prepared in the old year, kept as offerings for the deities and are eaten in the new hear, hence the name "mochi gaining in years".
They are made from mochigome. Sweet potatoes are also put in the dough. The dough is plced on plates and topped with some sweet beans anko.



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***** WASHOKU : Regional Japanese Dishes

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Matsuzaka Beef Mie

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Matsuzaka Beef

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

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Explanation


Kansai Beef

The sweetness and softness peculiar to beef abundantly streaked with fine veins of fat are the reasons why Japanese beef is so popular. In the case of beef, too, water is important. Famous beef brands in Kansai are Mie Prefecture's Matsusaka beef, Fukui Prefecture's Wakasa beef, and Shiga Prefecture's Omi beef, and these cattle are raised in areas with ample natural water.

Matsusaka beef, for example, originated in the Tajima beef (tajimagyuu 但馬牛) of Hyogo Prefecture's Tajima area, a location blessed with beautiful mountain streams. Elsewhere, the central and southern parts of the Ise Plain where Matsusaka beef cattle are bred are supplied with natural mineral water from the watersheds of the Kumozu, Kushida and Miya Rivers, all flowing from the Nunobiki and Miune Mountains. Together with attentive breeding, carefully controlled nutrition and the environmental element, the noted water of the breeding habitat cannot be ignored.

Matsusaka beef: Mie

Wakasa beef:
Kaminaka

Omi beef:
Shiga

source : 　www.kippo.or.jp


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Matsusaka beef (松阪牛, Matsusaka gyuu, also "Matsuzaka beef") is wagyu 和牛(Japanese beef) originating in the Matsusaka region of Mie, Japan. It is one of the most famous kinds of beef within Japan and internationally, containing a high fat-to-meat ratio.

Matsusaka beef is produced from virgin female cows chiefly born in Hyōgo Prefecture. The cows are raised in the quiet, serene area surrounding Matsusaka between the Kumozu River to the north and Miyagawa River to the south. Only female wagyu are raised in Matsusaka, where they are fed plenty of fodder, as well as tofu lees and ground wheat. When they have no appetite, they are fed beer to stimulate their eating, and they also receive regular massages with straw brushes after being sprayed with shōchū and are taken for daily afternoon walks.
Soothing music is played to the cattle to "calm" them and promote better quality beef. Matsusaka beef is considered by many in Japan to be superior to other Japanese wagyu beef, including the more internationally famous Kobe beef.
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There are strong regulations toward the definition of Matsuzaka beef.
A farmer buys a calf and brings it up for a certain time at his own ranch.
He takes a sip of shochuu liquor in his mouth and spits in on the fur of the cow after a walk through the fields. He then takes a brush and brushes the fur, against the hair, from low to top, to increase the blood circulation for better beef production.

Sometimes the animal gets a bottle of beer forced down its throat in summer, to help digestion and make it feel hungry for more food. It seems the animal likes the drink, though.

The cowshed is kept close to the family living quaters, so they can check the health of a cow at all times. The temperature of the horns gives the farmer a clue as to the health state of the animal. They are really treated as part of the family while they are there to fatten for the sale.


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Miyagi Prefecture

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Miyagi and Sendai


Miyagi Prefecture (宮城県, Miyagi-ken is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku Region on Honshū island. The capital is Sendai.
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. Sendai Shiroo 仙台四郎 / 仙臺四郎 Sendai Shiro
Haga Shiroo 芳賀四郎 Haga Shiro . (1855 - 1902)
A legendary man good for business !

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Specialities from Miyagi 宮城郷土料理





aburafu 油麩 fried gluten croutons
aburafu-iri nishime 油麩入り煮しめ with fat-fu あぶらふ(油麩）
fryed gluten in vegetable oil. Speciality from Tome town
It is prepared from wheat gluten powder, water is squeezed out carefully.
The dough (mottsu もっつ) is cut with a special knife (ohsigiri 押し切り) with two handles and then kneaded again to squeeze out the water.
Then it is rolled to a long strip and put into a large square box full of oil. Four ladies are busy turning the pieces round and round. They have to be elongated to the proper lenght and then one cut is made with a special knife. After that, they get bigger and a second cut is made whilst turning them. One shop produceds 700 sticks per day, they almost look like french bread.
One dish is a bowl of rice
aburafu don 油麩丼, where the fu is cut and prepared almost like a piece of chicken meat, and an egg on top of it.
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frittierter FU (Weizen-Gluten)


azara あざら "ara" (rough fish meat) mixed with vegetables, from Kesenuma


dotenabe 土手鍋 pot with oysters and miso "as an embankment" around the rim of the pot.



gyuu 牛 oxen and cows
gyuumotsu hatto 牛肚 (ぎゅうもつ はっと)
from the Ishikoshi area, consisting of cooked cow intestines with Japanese flour dumplings in soy broth.

gyuutan 牛タン ox tongue
Sendai gyuutan 仙台牛タン from Sendai
This dish started after WWII in Showa 23 (1948) in a shop named Daisuke 太助. Its owner Sano Keishiroo 佐野啓四郎 served it to his friends.
Ochsenzunge



Hakuchozuke (local pickles)


hattojiru はっと汁 speciel hatto soup


hesodaikon, heso daikon へそ大根 "radish with a navel"
from 宮城県伊具郡丸森町筆甫（ひっぽ）地区
Igu Gun Marumori village
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Daikon is cut in rounds, boiled for a moment, then skewed on a bamboo stick and let to dry in the cold winter air for about 1 month. It becomes a delicious brown candy color. It is usually prepared in December and January and can be eaten in February. When the bamboo sticks are pulled out, it looks as if the round piece has a "navel" in the middle.


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hoya and hoya dishes 海鞘; 老海鼠 sea pinapple
Sea pineapple (Halocynthia roretzi)
hoya nimono ホヤ雑煮 boiled
hoya no su no mono ホヤの酢の物 with vinegar dressing.
hoya is a very primitive animal. lonley planet says it tastes like ""rubber dipped in ammonia".
Hoya is found mostly along the beaches of Miyagi and Iwate.
Ascidiacea (commonly known as the ascidians or sea squirts) is a class in the Tunicata subphylum of sac-like marine filter feeders.
bakurai ばくらい "water bomb" 爆雷 is the original meaning.
a mix of hoya and salted konowata 海鼠腸. Best eaten is very small bits and washed down with a very dry sake.
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Seescheide

"Wasserbombe", Mischung aus Hoya und Konowata. Sehr salzig.


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ika ninjin いか人参 squid and carrots


imoni いもに、芋煮 boiling sweet potatoes
usually by the riverside in an outing with many people.
Sendai-Miso is used for the soup and many vegetables are used too.
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inago no tsukudani イナゴの佃煮 sweetly simmered grashoppers

inohana gohan イノハナご飯 rice with wild mushrooms


kakimeshi カキめし rice with oysters

karamen からめん cold reimen noodles with spicy broth, which is finally soaked up in a portion of rice


manboo no sumiso マンボウの酢味噌 ocean sunfish in vinegar miso dressing
Mondfisch; Mola mola

matsuba jiru 松葉汁 soup with chopped leaves of radish and sanma fish

mekabu zuke メカブ漬け wakame seaweed pickles

Mokkori Wagyu
brand of beef produced in Minamikata town
Mokkori Nira Sembei (rice cracker)
made from rice flour mixed with chopped leeks, and it goes well with beer.


Mokusakueki もくさくえき（木酢液）
Mokusakueki is a liquid made by cooling smoke from charcoal kilns. It is used for making soaps, face creams, and various other products. Some people put several drops of Mokusakueki into their bath tubs.
Mokusakueki is said to contribute to healthy, radiant looking skin. It also helps to enrich soil.


Monzen Kuroame Black sweets
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.

Nakada Rice

Nirakko no Gyoza にらっこ Chinese dumpling
Minamikata is famous for nira leek. They grow 250 tons of leeks a year.
Local people add chopped leeks to their gyoza dumplings.


Numano Shiki (Japanese sake)

oborojiru おぼろ汁 miso soup with oboro dofu tofu

okuzukake おくずかけ dashi soup with vegetables
with additional ankake sauce

sasa kamaboko 笹かまぼこ料理 kamaboko with sasa bamboo grass
eaten raw with wasabi shoyu. or put in soup with noodles and vegetables.
sasa maki 笹まき

Shiitake Mushroom, Maitake Mushroom


Shiroishi uumen, umen 白石温麺 dried "warm" noodles from Shiroishi town
It has a history of more than 400 years.
A pious son wanted to prepare some light food for his ill father. A wandering monk showed him how to make these noodes. They are only made from salted water and komugiko flower. His father ate these noodles and soon became better. The lord of Shiroishi heared of the story and gave the noodles the name "warm noodles" because of the warm feeling we get from hearing the story of the thoughtful caring son.


Warm noodles and kokeshi wooden dolls, the local specialities
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


Toyoma Miso (soybean paste) and Shoyu (soy sauce)

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 !


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.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


zundamochi 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 !


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Worldwide use


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Things found on the way

Kesennuma (気仙沼市; -shi) is a city located in the extreme northeast of Miyagi Prefecture. It wraps around the western part of Kesennuma Bay, and also includes the island of Ōshima. Its coastline forms the southern boundary of the Rias Coastline National Park, which stretches north all the way to Aomori Prefecture.

The city borders Hirota Bay, Kesennuma Bay, and the Pacific Ocean to the east and Motoyoshi, Miyagi to the south. Iwate Prefecture makes up the remainder of its borders, with Murone Village to the west, and Rikuzen-Takata City to the north.

The highest point in Kesennuma is 711.9 m high, on the border with Motoyoshi, while the lowest point is at sea level.
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !

. . . CLICK here for Photos !



Tooth Coastline
Kesennuma is a naturally favorable harbor marked by waters that are calm due to the presence of Oshima Island at the mouth of the harbor. Visitors can soak up powerful sights at Rikuchu Coast National Park, a place of scenic beauty characterized by a deeply indented coastline imbued with the natural beauty of the four seasons.

Slow Food Declaration
Kesennuma, a leading fishing town in Japan, is famous for landing tuna, bonito, and Pacific saury and for producing the largest catches of shark fin in the world. As the first city in Japan to adopt a slow food declaration, Kesennuma is committed to promoting a unique and attractive community sustained by local foods.
Shark 鮫 (さめ) same Haifisch in Kesenuma

Toyoma (Tome town, Miyagi)
Experience the Joys of School Dining
Visitors can enjoy consuming school meals served in a century-old school building. Sample a typical school meal from the 1950s, which would have included a bread roll and curry stew. (Reservations required.)
School-provided lunches are lunch meals provided to all elementary-school students in Japan according to a standard menu that is very much a traditional feature of school life in this country.

source : 　www.jnto.go.jp



Shark fin menu during the "Shark Fin Week", each December.


. Shark (same 鮫) .

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


Kesennuma was badly damaged by the earthquake on March 11, 2011


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Der Fischmarkt von Kesennuma

Die „Schwarze Strömung“ (kuroshio) bestimmt die Anwesenheit der Fische vor den Küsten Japans im Pazifischen Ozean. Sie hat eine tiefblaue Farbe und bringt warmes Wasser aus den Gebieten um Taiwan zu den kalten Polarregionen. Sie ermöglicht sogar das Wachstum von Korallenriffen in Japan, den nördlichsten Riffen der Welt. Ein Teil der Strömung zweigt ins Japanische Meer ab und wird hier nach einer Insel die „Tsushima-Strömung“ genannt. Mit der „Schwarzen Strömung“ schwimmen viel Fischarten im Sommer nach Norden und ziehen im Herbst und Winter wieder zurück; „Fische bringen die Jahreszeiten nach Japan“ sagt ein alter Spruch.

Der „erste Bonito“ der Saison kündigte in Edo den Sommer an und viele reiche Bürger liessen sich den ersten Bissen der Saison viel kosten. Bei seinem Zug nach Norden bis vor die Küste Hokkaidos heißt der Fisch „aufwärts schwimmender Bonito“. Im Herbst bei seiner Rückreise wird er „zurückkehrender Bonito“ genannt; er ist nun besonder fett und wohlschmeckend.

Kesennuma ist ein Fischereihafen im Norden der Präfektur Miyagi an der Bucht von Kesennuma.
Der Fischmarkt hat den größte Umsatz Japans an frischem Bonito, Schwertfisch und Haifisch. Weiterhin werden hier Thunfisch, Makrelenhechte und Seezungen gehandelt.
Ende Dezember findet eine „Woche der Haifischflossen“ statt, bei der besondere Menüs mit dieser Delikatesse angeboten werden.

Haifischflossensuppe ist ein fester Bestandteil der chinesischen Küche. In Kesennuma werden auch andere Gerichte davon zubereitet: Ramen-Nudelsuppe, Sushi und Kochen bei Erhaltung der Form (sugata ni).

Der Makrelenhecht bringt den Herbst nach Kesennuma. Er schmeckt am besten auf Holzkohlen gegrillt mit etwas Salz. Aber auch als Sashimi oder gekocht mit Soyasauce wird er hier verzehrt.

Die lokalen Austern schmecken am besten im Winter. Durch die Sedimente von den nahen Wäldern, die viele Flüße in die Bucht bringen, sind sie besonders mineralhaltig. Sie schmecken in jeder Form gut, roh oder gekocht, im Eintopf oder frittiert.

Schwertfische werden auf eine ganz besodere Art gefangen: Vom Vordeck des Bootes aus wirft der Fischer eine Lanze nach dem Fisch und betäubt ihn dann mit einem elektrischen Schlag. Danach kann der bewegungslose Fisch einfach ins Boot gehievt werden.

Eine besondere Spezialität dieses Küstenbereiches bis hinauf nach Iwate sind die Seescheiden, auch „Ananas des Meeres“ genannt. Sie werden mit Essig angemacht, haben aber einen stark ammoniakhaltigen Geschmack und eine gummiartige Konsistenz, sie sind im wahrsten Sinne des Wortes „Geschmacksache“.

Kesennuma bemüht sich um eine nachhaltige Landwirtschaft und hat eine Deklaration zur „Slowfood-Bewegung“ herausgegeben.


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HAIKU



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Related words

***** WASHOKU : Regional Japanese Dishes


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


. Folk Toys from Miyagi .

. Folk Toys from Kesennuma 　気仙沼　.

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Mamakari Okayama

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Mamakari Fish Dishes

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

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Explanation


mamakari, 飯借り (ままかり)　Japanese sardinella,

officially called

sappa サッパ Sardinella zunasi
kiiwashi キイワシ

Lives in the Setonaikai Sea of Japan along the estuaries of rivers, about 20 cm long. Often together with the fish konoshiro コノシロ ・このしろ (鮗) or tsunashi, another small herring.
Mamakari dishes are only prepared along the coastlines of the Inland sea, especially in Okayama. The fish itself is found along other coastal areas, where it has a lot of different names.

It is caught all year, but best SHUN from February to April.　Most often eaten with some vinegar preparations. The intestines are taken out and it is kept in salt and vinegar before consumption. Sanbaizu vinegar is quite popular with this fish.
Grilled over charcoals is also a local way to eat it, especially directly on the beach, with the innards still inside.
At the Ariakekai Sea this grilling is called "ponpoko yaki" ポンポコやき because of the sound when grilling the fish and the innards start heating up. The fish itself is called "hadara" ハダラ, usually caught by chance when fishing for shrimp.

The whole fish, with a few cuts in both sides in the flesh, can be deepfried as karaage too, eaten with head, bones and all.
Nanbanzuke 南蛮漬 is prepared frying the filets in oil before preserving them in vinegar.



mamakari, to borrow rice from your neighbours ...
The famous autor of the Meiji period, Narushima Ryuboku 成島 柳北 （なるしま りゅうほく)(1837 - 1884)) wrote in his diary from Okayama in 1869 :

"It looks like a small herring. When a fisherman catches it and brings it home to eat, it tasts very well. When he has finished all the rice at home, the wife goes to the neighbour to borrow some cooked rice and they continue eating. Hence the name."
Others say the fishermen used to grill the fish right on their boats and when the rice of one boat was eaten, they would drive to the next one and ask for his to share.

o-manma おまんま　"omamma" is a childrens way of calling cooked rice.

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Some of my photos from Mamakari dishes
Click for enlargement!






with yuzu citron



grilled as kabayaki like eel



with sanbaizu vinegar



with wasabi horseradish



with vinegar



dried with mirin



mamachobi　ままチョビ mamakari anchovy

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mamakari zushi ままかりずし sushi from sappa
Speciality of Okayama.
has many little bones and is not well liked in the Kanto area.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



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Worldwide use


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Things found on the way


Tsunashi-zushi つなし寿司　
is made from salted tsunashi (konoshiro fish) in the central and southern parts of Okayama Prefecture. It comes as sugata-zushi in the form, nigiri-zushi on a handful of sushi rice and as maki-zushi with a nori seaweed wrapper.

. . . CLICK here for Photos !


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HAIKU

Gabi Greve, in memory of Matsuo Basho


ママカリや隣は何を食う人ぞ
mamakari ya tonari wa nani o kuu hito zo

Oh Mamakari !
and I wonder what is my neighbour
eating tonight?



秋深き 隣は何を する人ぞ
aki fukaki tonari wa nani o suru hito zo

autumn deepens
and I wonder,
what is my neighbour doing?

Matsuo Basho, (26th day, Ninth Month, 1694)
WKD : Autumn deepens


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ままかりの舟出る瀬戸の水澄めり
mamakari no fune deru Seto no mizu sumeri

the clear waters
of the Seto Inland sea
when the mamakari fishing boat leaves

Endo Kazuyoshi, 2007


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ままかりの鮨奢らるゝ初デート
mamakari no sushi ogoraruru hatsu deeto

I am invited
for mamakari sushi ...
first date

Yonemoto Hitomi 米元ひとみ (1955-)


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Related words

WASHOKU : Regional dishes from Okayama


***** WASHOKU : Regional Japanese Dishes

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Okayama ... and Momotaro

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OKAYAMA

Momotaro Hodgepodge (momotaroo nabe)

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

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Explanation

Momotaro (Momotaroo ももたろう, 桃太郎 )
the Peach Boy is the hero of Okayama city. The main street is even called "Momotaro Road", momotaroo doori 桃太郎通り and an annual festival is held in his honor.
Der Pfirsischjunge


Clay Bell from Okayama


. Momotaro 桃太郎 and Yanagita Kunio 柳田國男 .
The Folktale Discussion
MOMOTARŌ NO TANJŌ (THE BIRTH OF PEACH BOY, 1933)

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The city of Okayama has now "invented" a hodgepodge named after this famous hero 桃太郎鍋.
It started off with a big pot serving visitors of a festival in 2006.
The hodgepodge includes ass the heroes of the story. Momotaro himself is represented by kibi dango, kibidango 黍団子 millet dumplings. The red demon is represented by mochi with red rice, whereas the green demon has yomogi mugwort mochi. The local momotaro jidori 桃太郎地鶏 chicken is used for the soup. Only local vegetables are used. They are cut into the heroes of the story, carrots are cut in little monkey shapes, the white dog is formed from radish. Yellow nira leek of Okayama is also added in great quantity to represent the tail of the pheasant.
It is quite fun to pick them all out of the pot when done. So the family has something to talk about when eating together.

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The main story of
Momotaro and Momotaro Dolls and Amulets

. Momotaroo 桃太郎 Momotaro the Peach Boy .

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Momotaro Festival in Okayama
"桃太郎祭り" Momotaro Matsuri
source : 　www.pref.okayama.jp

. . . CLICK here for Photos !

One of the attraction is the dance "uraja うらじゃ", where people paint the faces in all colors and wear fancyful costumes. Groups of many villages take part and often there is a competition for the best costumes and dancing.
My own village Ohaga also has a dance groupe of this kind.

. . . CLICK here for URAJA Photos !



桃太郎祭りずし弁当 Sushi for the Momotaro Festival
. . . CLICK here for Photos !





. Shrine Kibitsu Jinja 吉備津神社 .


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The story of Momotaro may be related to the old believes of the onmyodo 陰陽道　Yin-Yang Worldview. The direction of bad influence, kimon, is in the ushi-tora (bull tiger) direction. So one of the demons Momotaro is fighting has horns and the other wears a tiger skin.

And the Monkey, Dog and Pheasant are animals in the zodiac, in the opposite heavenly direction from the kimon　鬼門　.


The peach itself is seen as an auspicious symbol.
In the shrine Abe Jinja 安部神社 at the kimon related to the imperial palace in Kyoto is a metal peach, where people come to touch it to ward off evil 厄除けの桃 even today.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !　


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Momotarō (桃太郎)
is a popular hero from Japanese folklore. His name literally means Peach Tarō; as Tarō is a common Japanese boy's name, it is often translated as Peach Boy. Momotarō is also the title of various books, films, and other works that portray the tale of this hero.

The popular Children's song about Momotarō titled Momotarō-san no Uta (Momotarō's Song) was first published in 1911. One version of it is included below with romanization and translation.

Momotarō-san no uta (Momotarō's Song)
桃太郎さんの歌

Momotarō-san, momotarō-san (Momotarō, Momotarō)
桃太郎さん、桃太郎さん

Okoshi ni tsuketa kibidango (Those millet dumplings on your waist)
お腰につけたきびだんご

Hitotsu watashi ni kudasai na? (Won't you give me one?)
一つ私に下さいな！

Agemashou, agemashou (I'll give you one, I'll give you one)
あげましょう、あげましょう

Ima kara oni no seibatsu ni (From now, on a quest to conquer the ogres)
今から鬼の征伐に

Tsuite kuru nara agemashou (If you come with me, I'll give one to you)
ついてくるならあげましょう
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !




4月に行われていた岡山桃太郎まつり
おかやま桃太郎まつり - Wikipedia -


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Momotaroo tomato 桃太郎トマト
Momotaroo tomato serii 桃太郎トマトセリー
Jelly from Momotaro Tomatoes
Momotaroo goorudo 桃太郎ゴールド Momotaro Gold Tomatoes
The skin is rather thin.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
These tomatoes are a special kind of "sugar tomatoes シュガートマト" with a high sugar content.



Momotaro tomato amanatto トマト甘納豆
Sweet tomatos with a sugar coating


Momotaro grapes 桃太郎ぶどう momotaroo budoo
are big and green and very sweet. They have no kernels and the skin can be eaten too.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


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Momotaro and Daruma ... 桃太郎とだるま


23x35cm
Painted with the wish to recover from illness.
source : 　www.eisai.co.jp/museum

One of the "smallpox paintings" . hoosoo-e 疱瘡絵 .


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Showa 33 in Shimonoseki
source : www.darmax.co.jp


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Chawanmushi served in a Daruma bowl
together with a Momotaro Sushi


桃太郎寿司でだるまの ハンニバル茶碗蒸し
source : 　blog.nan-can.com

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Bichu, Kurashiki Anko Meguri Stamp Ralley, October 2009
備中・倉敷あんこめぐり スタンプラリー


WASHOKU -Sweets from Okayama


Kurashiki Tenryo Sushi Matsuri / Okayama no Matsuri Sushi
and other festivals in Kurashiki


Bii Kyuu Gurume Ｂ級グルメ Grade B Gourmet, Okayama prefecture


Grade B Gourmet Meeting in Tsuyama
おかやまＢ級グルメフェスタin津山
B Kyu Gurume .. Festa in Tsuyama
March 20 / 21, 2010 in Tsuyama town


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Other dishes from Okayama

amidaikon あみだいこん
amiebi (ami-ebi) shrimp, radish and ginger are cooked with soy sauce, rice wine and sugar. A dish to bring autumn to the region of the Inland sea.
. . . CLICK here for Photos of ami-ebi あみえび!


aounagi, ao-unagi アオウナギ, アオ鰻 blue eel from Bizen Kojima Bay


arasuka アラスカ, arasuka mame アラスカ豆 Alaska green peas
arasuka gohan アラスカご飯 cooked rice with green peas.


barazushi ばらずし　バラ寿司)Gemischtes Sushi
In Okayama wird ein reichbestücktes Sushi in einem Teller angerichtet. Auf den Sushi-Reis kommen verschiedene Auflagen, es ist eine Art, die auch „chirashizushi“ genannt wird. Der Segen des Meeres und der Segen der Berge leuchtet in bunten Farben auf dem weißen Reis. Der Regionalfürst von Bizen und Okayama, Ikeda Mitsumasa (1609-1682), erließ damals einen Sparbefehl, nach dem für eine Mahlzeit nur „eine Suppe und ein weitere Speise“ serviert werden durften. Seine schlauen Untertanen umgingen diesen Befehl, indem sie auf einem großen Teller Reis allerlei Fischstücke, Garnelen und andere Meeresfrüchte sowie viele Gemüsesorten der jeweiligen Saison anhäuften. Dieses farbenprächtige Sushi hat sich bis heute erhalten und darf bei keiner Feier oder Festlichkeit fehlen, es wird daher auch „Festtags-Sushi“ (matsurizushi) genannt.


bengara karee ベンガラカレー Bengara Curry from Fukiya Village


dodomese どどめせ sushi rice with mixed ingredients
a kind of takikomi gohan with vinegar, to make a sushi. The beginning of the chirashizushi of Okayama. Already prepared in the Kamakura period. At that time, there was a stop-over for ships from Bizen to Fukuoka, where the takasebune ships used this kind of mixed rice as obento. The original word was doburoku meshi どぶろくめし (doburoku is cloudy white sake rice wine). It is also the origin of Bizen barazushi 備前ばらずし.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


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FAGI FOODS ファジフーズ
Fagiano Okayama ファジアーノ岡山

icecream from Hiruzen milk
onigiri with mentaiko
Fagi Chicken KATSU Burger ファジチキン勝バーガー
Fagi crepe
Chahan bento チャーハン弁当 fried rice bento
pon juice ポンジュース orange juice

. . . CLICK here for Photos !

Fagiano Okayama Football Club is a football club from Okayama, Okayama, Japan. Fagiano currently play in the J. League Division 2, the second-tier professional football league in the country. Fagiano in Italian means "pheasant", and it's a reference to the pheasant that was a companion of local legend character Momotarō. Their mascot Fagi-kun is based on the specific species native to Japan, the Green Pheasant.
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !


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funameshi フナ飯 rice with funa fish


gonboo baagaa ゴンボーバーガー,牛蒡バーガー,　ごんぼうバーガー” hamburger with gobo
Ibara town　井原
The town grows a lot of the variety Meiji goboo (gonbo in the local dialect) and puts this vegetable in many dishes. It is also sold as a "station lunch" ekiben.
明治ごんぼうバーガー
CLICK here for PHOTOS !



hime toogarashi 姫とうがらし roter Pfeffer aus Okutsu
hime togarashi, red hot chili peppers
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
It is sold in various preparations, dried, as powder or in hot oil salad dressing. Even Konnyaku is flavored with red chili (konnyaku hime).


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Hiruzen Yakisoba 蒜山焼そば fried noodles from Hiruzen
Flavored with miso sauce.
This has become more popular with the B-Kyu Gurmet movement, and even one prizes.
It is an old dish, keeping the tradition of the region. In winter, when snow covered the exit passes fro the highlands, farmers had to make do whith what they could preserve. So each family used some kind of miso pickles and a home-made miso-sauce mix for a "family flavor".
The chicken for this dish come from old hens, which have done their duty laying eggs. It was suggested to use young chicken with softer meat, but that is not the tradition of Hiruzen farmers, so the old ways were revived in this popular noodle dish.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


Hiruzen okowa 蒜山（ひるぜん）おこわ Mochi-Klebreis mit roten Bohnen
und anderem Gemuese aus dem Hiruzen Hochland
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


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horumon udon ホルモンうどん udon noodles with innards
hormon udon
In the town of Tsuyama 津山市 this is quite popular as one of the B-kyu B 級グルメ second class gourmet foods. It even won third grading in the All Japan B-Kyu events in 2009. It was served at our village sports festival this autumn, look at the delicious photo above!
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

ホルモンのうどん振舞う運動会

they even serve
hormon udon noodles -
villge sports festival

Gabi Greve, October 2009


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inoshishi raamen いのししラーメン　with wild boar meat
from Niimi town, Okayama　新見市岡山県



kakioko, kaki oko カキオコ omelette with oysters
kaki okonomiyaki ... kakioko was coined in 2008 for promoting the village.
About 10 to 15 oysters per portion are put in a kind of okonomiyaki pizza style omelette with a lot of cut cabbage.
It is also called "Hinase yaki" 日生焼き
from Hinase fishing port 日生地区, near Bizen
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



kako no jabujabu 水夫のじゃぶじゃぶ sailor's jabu-jabu
Ushimado 牛窓




karee, furuutsu karee フルーツカレー　curry with local fruit
like peaches, persimmons, pione grapes, Momotaro tomatoes and even innards of pork (horumon karee)
Click on the photo to start your walk through our local specialities.



Kasaoka raamen 笠岡ラーメン Kasaoka ramen noodle soup
made only with chicken meat (chikin chaashuu) and chicken soup, since more than 50 years.
After the war, Kasaoka town was surrounded by chicken farms.
CLICK here for PHOTOS !



kenbiki-yaki, kenbikiyaki ケンビキ焼き, けんびき焼き
Kenbiki, kembiki in local dialect means "to be tired".
In the local dialect, the first of June, rokugatsu ichinichi, rokugatsu hitohi was pronounced rokkahidee ロッカッヒテエー was one whole day in June when the farmers did the planting of rice seedlings. All villagers would stop their other work and be out in the fields, also called shiromidi シロミテ, white day.
On this day, the kenyiki-yaki, prepared in a hooroku ホウロク earthen pan wrapped in leaves of myoga ginger was offered to the local deities (ujigami 氏神様、内神様) and later eaten by the whole family.
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Recipe see below.


kibimochi, kibi mochi きび餅 mochi with millet
Often mochikibi もちきび flour is used to make it.
They were a substitute for poor farmers who could not afford to use mochigome rice in olden times.
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Kokerazushi こけら寿司 / 柿寿司 / こけら鮨 layered sushi
from Hiruzen. kokera sushi


kurobuta from Nagi, Sakushuu　作州 black pork meat
Sakushuu kurobuta sushi with sushirice and black beans
yellow nira from Nagi



kusagina kakemeshi くさぎなかけめし
rice with kusagina leaves
From Kibi Chuo Town, Kibi Kogen highlands 吉備高原
kusagina are the leaves from a tree of the verbena officinalis family (kumatsuzura クマツヅラ科), which grows about 3 meters in hight. The leaves are big and eggshaped and have a strong smell. The leaves are dried and eaten as hozonshoku by the hunters of the mountainous area. They are rich in vitamin C and Calcium.
It is now also prepared as a school lunch and sold in packs online.
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mamakari, sappa ままかり（さっぱ） Sardinella zunasi
. . . . . mamakarizushi ままかりずし sushi with mamakari fish


mogai 藻貝 / もがい も貝 small clams
Boiled as tsukudani, put on the bento lunchbox or in miso soup.


mokuzugani　藻屑蟹 / モクズガニ Japanese mitten crab
from Kumenan, along the river Asahigawa 久米南, 旭川


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otsukakegohan, o-tsu kakegohan お汁かけごはん
rice with miso sauce
A bowl of local rice is doused with a bowl of miso sauce. A few pickled vegetables as a side dish make a simple farmer's meal.
Kumen Town, Michi no Eki 道の駅久米の里
source : Sanyo Shinbun, December 2009


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- new instant ramen soups　インスタント　ラーメン

gomamiso raamen　ごまみそラーメン　with sesame seeds and miso paste

momotaroo dango raamen 桃太郎団子ラーメン　with chicken meatballs

satoyama raamen　岡山里山ラーメン "Village noodle soup" with mushrooms and all kinds of vegetables

setouchi kaki raamen　瀬戸内カキラーメン from Setuichi, with oysters


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sabazushi サバずし / 鯖ずし
Speciality in Northern Okayama prefecture, especially prepared for the autumn festival. The salted fish was brought from Tottori during the Edo period and the farmers could only afford to buy it just after the harvest.
In my village, the farmers wifes offer their handmade sabazushi to friends and family.
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Sakushuu kuro 作州黒 Black beans from Sakushu province
Sakushu is an old name of some northern parts of Okayama prefecture
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sawara no kookozushi サワラのこうこずし


shirasagi komugi しらさぎ小麦　"white heron" type of wheat
good for making udon noodles.
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tai no hamayaki 鯛の浜焼き
sakuradai no hamayaki 櫻鯛の浜焼き
from Kasaoka Town
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. WASHOKU
Tamagokake gohan TKG 卵かけご飯 boiled rice with raw egg 　
Misaki Cho, 美咲町. made from tanada mai, rice from the terraced rice fields of Ohaga Nishi　大垪和西.
Ohaga, home of Gabi Greve



. Tsuchinoko ツチノコ or 槌の子 hammerspawn
legendary reptile souvenir food, Akaiwa and Yoshii



Tsuyama, B Kyu Gurume .. Festa おかやまＢ級グルメフェスタin 津山
March 20/21, 2010



Urajima renkon 連島レンコン lotus roots from Urajima town
連島町（つらじまちょう）. Kurashiki 倉敷市
They are quite delicious when eaten raw. Harvested from late autumn onward.
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They are also trying to make shochu (renkon shooshuu レンコン焼酎) liquor with this roots.


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. Oishii o-hanashi Okayama
おいしいおはなし 岡山 .
Literature and Food Event from February to March 2012

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- source : kyoudo-ryouri.com/en.. okayama .. -
Bukkake Udon
Hawasabi Sushi
Iidako boiled with soy sauce
Jaku Tempura
Manzen Kabura
Shino Udon
Takomeshi
Ujo Golden Sushi


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Worldwide use


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Things found on the way

Kintaro, the Golden Boy
Daruma Museum


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HAIKU

kibi, millet and
millet dumplings 黍団子（きびだんご） kibi dango
kigo for mid-autumn

ume saku ya inu ni matagaru momotarô

plum blossoms --
riding a dog
the Peach Boy



老が世に桃太郎も出よ捨瓢
oi ga yo ni momotaroo mo deyo sute fukube

to an old man's world
Peach Boy, come out!
hollow gourd


Kobayashi Issa

In Issa's journal this is the first haiku of Eighth Month, 1816. Earlier that year, the last haiku of Second Month began with the same first two phrases, but ended with "peach blossoms" (momo no hana). Though the kanji for "gourd" is today read as hisago, Issa read it as fukube. Shinji Ogawa notes that a hollowed fukube could be used as a container or bottle.
In this haiku, "the gourd becomes a magic lamp or a bottle where a Genie comes out, in this case, Peach Boy." He adds, "There is a Japanese phrase, hyootan kara koma which means 'a horse from a gourd' or 'an unexpected thing happened'."
Tr. David Lanoue


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Kurashiki 　倉敷　 is famous for its canals and willow trees. There is a group of elders who go around town with masks and large fans and tap people on the head for good luck.
They walk around as representatives for their friends who are bedridden and can not go out.



suinkyo, su-inkyo 素隠居 （すいんきょ）persons in retirement
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. Suinkyo Matsuri - Festival at Achi Shrine 阿智神社 .


. Toys and Talismans from Japan .



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Related words

Momotaro Food / my photos

***** WASHOKU : Local chicken (jidori)

Shoodoshima 小豆島 Shodoshima
Kagawa prefecture, but close to Okayama


***** WASHOKU : Regional Japanese Dishes


***** . Momotaroo 桃太郎 Momotaro the Peach Boy Dolls .

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