Water (mizu)

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Water, drinking water (nomimizu　のみみず　水)

***** Location: Japan
***** Season: Various, see below
***** Category: Earth / Humanity

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Links only to my pages.

Explanation

Fresh clear drinking water to prepare food and drinks, this is the most important necessity for humans to live !

Because of plenty of rainfall during the rainy season from mid-June to mid-July, Japan is blessed with many wells and springs and even has a ranking of the 100 best springs (meisui hyakusen 銘水百選).
Areas with rice wine or tofu production or wasabi plantations relay on the fresh water coming abundantly out of the mountains. Many sake companies have their own well.

Rural farmers in the mountains could not survive without constant water supply for the rice paddies. Most farmers homes have a memorial stone for the God of Water in the backyard, sometimes just a large stone with the Chinese character for water, mizu　水 carved in it. You pray there for water during a drought but also for protection from flood waters during a typhoon. At some Shinto shrines, for example, a black horse was offered to induce rain and a white horse to make a long rain stop.

In the rice paddies, seasonal rituals are performed in honor of the deity of water, mizu no kamisama, before letting the water enter into the watering systems.

The city of Edo could not have developed without a delicate system of wells to provide drinking water for the population. There is even a part named . "Ochanomizu" . , meaning "water for tea", where the tea water for the Shogun was taken from.

Kyoto was blessed with a natural system of waterways to sustain the people. Many of the old tea ceremony masters families have their own well for the tea ceremony, which, by the way, translates as "hot water for tea", cha no yu 茶の湯.

Many famous wells have been subject to poetry since olden times. Clear Water, SHIMIZU, KIYOMIZU 清水 is part of the name of some temples and shrines of Japan.

Water is served free with any meal at a restaurant. Many people make weekly trips with large containers to a famous well nearby to draw water for their daily cooking and tea preparation.

And thanks to the vulcanic acitvities we have the natural hot water from the many onsen, the hot springs. This water is also used for cooking. Vegetables in a sack are put into the boiling water until they are done. Many regions also sell eggs boiled in hot spring water", onsen tamago, as a local speciality. The yellow inside has a half-boiled quality, which is especially favored. Because of the sulfuric compounds of some hot springs these eggs get a black shell in the process.

. eggs boiled in hot spring water .


Different to other countries in Asia, tab water is usually drinkable everywhere. Mineral water is just beginning to be sold here.


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Stone Memorial for the God of Water

winter in town –
the stone memorial of the
God of Water

Gabi Greve, Katsuyama 2005


There are many rituals and ceremonies concerning WATER in Japan. Here is a list of some I have covered elsewhere:

First Water, "young water" (wakamizu)
Including more kigo of this ceremony.
First water drawing is most important for the tea ceremony and some temple and shrine rituals.

Drawing Sacred Well Water,
O-Mizutori, Omizutori, お水取り
Nara

Suijinsama 水神様　＜＞　The Gods of the Four Elements, the Water God

..... SUIJIN God of Water

Daigosui 醍醐水 Water from the temple Daigoji and
Gosan Ryori, gosan ryoori 醐山料理, prepared with this water.


Akai no Mizu 閼伽井 / Kannon Bosatsu Water 観音水
From temple Iwakura Daiun-ji, Kyoto. For healing mental illness.


Other items concerning WATER

Kappa 河童　＜＞　The Water Goblin

Kettle, tea kettle (kama, chagama, tetsubin)
Water kettle, water pot.

Rain Rituals (amagoi) Rain Dance, Rain Prayer, Regenzauber

Sound of Water (mizu no oto) Japan
a famous haiku phrase

Sprinkling Water (uchimizu, Japan)

Suiteki 水滴 water drippers for calligraphy

Taki 滝　＜＞　Waterfalls named Daruma
..... TAKI ... Waterfalls and Fudo Myo-o

..... Water in various kigo
including: clear water in summer (shimizu), water birds, water lily, water melon, waterfall, dripping water and many more

Water Shortage (Tropics)

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quote
The Blessings of Water
IWAI Hiromi Professor of Folklore,
Tezukayama University

Mikunari God, Kawakami God

Water is a blessing from another world. It flows down the sides of mountains, through villages, and finally into the sea. Because water is indispensable to villagers farming the land, since ancient times, Japanese have prayed to gods to ensure water for their villages.

Mikumari, one of these gods, presides over running water. The "kumari" portion of the name comes from the word "kubari", which means distribution.

The god's name is therefore often found in the names of shrines dedicated to water gods and located at the sources of rivers and watersheds. In terms of folklore, the Kojiki states that the gods Ame-no-mikumari and Kuni-no-mikumari appeared as the children of two other gods, Haya-akitsu-hiko and Haya-akitsu-hime. The Engi Shiki mentions four "mikumari" shrines"Katsuragi Mikumari Shrine in Katsuragi-gun, Yoshino Mikumari Shrine in Yoshino-gun, Uda Mikumari Shrine in Uda-gun, and Tsuge Mikumari Shrine in Yamabe-gun-in Yamato-no-kuni (today's Nara Prefecture) along with Take Mikumari Shrine in Ishikawa-gun in Kawachi-no-kuni (Osaka Prefecture) and Ame-no-mikumari Toyoura-no-mikoto Shrine in Sumiyoshi-gun, Settsu-no-kuni (also in Osaka Prefecture). As sacred distributors of water, the mikumari were also often the object of prayers for rain. The Shoku-nihongi tells that in April of 698, the second year of Emperor Monmu, a horse was presented to the god Yoshino Mikumari as a rain offering.

The god Kawakami also presides over water. The Engi Shiki mentions the god Niu-Kawakami in Yamato-no-kuni. Today's Niu Kawakami Shrine is made up of three sites, Kami, Naka, and Shimo, wherein "kami" refers to the top, "naka" to the middle, and "shimo" to the bottom. The Kami Shrine mainly deifies Takaokami-no-kami, while Naka Shrine deifies Mitsuhahime-no-kami and Shimo Shrine Kuraokami-no-kami. These kami (gods) all preside over water and have been worshiped as rain gods since ancient times.

In Kyoto, Kibune Shrine deifies Takaokami-no-kami, who is worshiped as a rain god. It is described in the Shoku-nihongi, the Nihon-koki, the Shoku-nihon-kok , the Montoku-tenno Jitsuroku, and the Sandai Jitsuroku that from 765, the seventh year of Tempyohoji, people prayed almost every year to Niu-Kawakami and Kibune for rain. They are said to have offered a black horse when they wanted the rains to start and a white horse when they wanted the rains to end because it was believed that the spirit of the gods descend to earth on a horse. Black is the color for casting a rain spell as it symbolizes dark clouds bringing rain. In contrast, white is the symbol of the bright sun. These prayers were held as national events.

Water for Purification

Water flowing down from mountains empties into the sea. Because the ancient Japanese believed that the sea was another world where gods lived, touching seawater was called "misogi", or purification of the self. In preparation for welcoming the spirit of the gods and holding a feast, people had to avoid impurity and perform monoimi (abstaining from food and drink for a period in order to purify oneself.) while waiting for the day to arrive; misogi was performed for this purpose.

People believed that seawater, a way to connect with that other world, was a strong purifier, so misogi originally involved bathing in seawater. People in Kyushu have long practiced customs known as "paddling seawater," "kicking seawater" and "taking seawater." And in a fishing village in Shima, Mie Prefecture, the custom is for villagers to bathe together in the sea on New Year's Eve. It is said that bathing in the sea around the festival days of Sumiyoshi Shrine in June has the miraculous effect of prolonging life; this activity has been named "Sumiyoshi-no-o'yu" (Sumiyoshi Bath).
And even those from mountain villages who go all the way down to the beach to do misogi have names for this journey: "hama-ori" (going down to the beach) and "hama-iki" (going to the beach). Today, small mounds of salt are sometimes seen in public locations, a reminder of misogi with seawater.

The Engi Shiki tells us that when people went to worship at Ise Shrine, they performed their misogi at landings along the Miyagawa River, the largest river in Iga-no-kuni (Mie Prefecture). During the Edo period, Many people traveled to the shrine by crossing the Miyagawa River by boat. Reaching the other side of the river meant entering the precincts of the gods, so landings on the shrine side of the river with such names as "Sakura-no-watashi (Cherry Tree Landing)," "Yanagi-no-watashi (Willow Landing)," "Iso-no-watashi (Seashore Landing)," and "Kamijo-no-watashi (Kamijo Landing)" were designated sacred places in which people could perform misogi before they actually entered the precincts of the gods. Fishing for ayu (sweetfish) in the sacred Miyagawa River was prohibited until the Edo period because the fish were used as offerings during shrine services.

In areas far from the sea, people began to perform misogi in rivers, believing that seawater entered the rivers during high tides. Thus the act of misogi spread inland. People also grew to believe that wells led to the other world, so well water also came to be used as water for misogi.
source : www.kippo.or.jp / Iwai Hiromi


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HAIKU

WATER just like that (mizu, sui 水　) is not a kigo in Japan but a nonseasonal topic.

But since water is a constant necessity throughout the year, there are many detailed phenomenon used as kigo for it. And in olden times with no tabwater, this comodity was really important for the continuation of life.



New Year decoration of a rural well in Japan
© Gabi Greve, January 2007


WATER, a list of related KIGO


MY ONSEN 温泉 . おんせん Hot Springs of Japan


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Related words

***** WKD : Drinks in the seasons - SAIJIKI



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Saga prefecture

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. Saga district, Tokyo .
- see below - Sagacho 佐賀町
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Saga Prefecture



Saga Prefecture (佐賀県, Saga-ken)
is located in the northwest part of the island of Kyūshū, Japan. It touches both the Sea of Japan and the Tsushima current 対馬海流 and the Ariakekai Sea　有明海. The western part of the prefecture is a region famous for producing ceramics and porcelain, particularly the towns of
Karatsu　唐津, Imari　伊万里, and Arita　有田.
The capital is the city of Saga.
Kyūshū's smallest prefecture, Saga, is located on the northwest corner of the island, bordered by the Genkai Sea and the Tsushima Strait to the north and the Ariake Sea to the south.

In ancient times the area composed by Nagasaki Prefecture and Saga Prefecture was called Hizen Province. The current name dates from the Meiji Restoration. Rice farming culture has prospered here since ancient times, and vestiges can be seen at the ruins of Nabatake in Karatsu and the Yoshinogari site in Yoshinogari.

From the Kamakura period to the Muromachi period it is thought that over 100 feudal clans existed. Also exerting great influence during this time was a samurai clan operating along the Genkai Sea called the Matsuratō. Upon entering the Sengoku period, the Ryūzōji clan expanded their control to include all of Hizen and Chikugo Provinces, and part of Higo and Chikuzen Provinces. After the death of daimyo Takanobu Ryūzōji, Naoshige Nabeshima 　鍋島　 took control of the political situation, and by 1607 all of the Ryūzōji clan's domain was under the control of the Nabeshima clan.

Around the middle of the 19th century, Naomasa Nabeshima strove to set right the domain's financial affairs, reduce the number of government officials, and encourage local industry such as Arita porcelain, green tea, and coal.

Agriculture, forestry, and coastal fisheries form a large portion of the prefectural economy. Regional agricultural specialties include Saga beef, onions, and strawberries.
The prefecture is the largest producer of mochigome (sticky rice) and
greenhouse mandarin oranges in Japan.
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The Ariake Sea (有明海, Ariake-kai)
is a body of salt water surrounded by Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, and Kumamoto Prefectures, all of which lie on the island of Kyūshū in Japan. It is the largest bay in Kyūshū. Its deepest point is only about 50 m deep, and extreme tides exceed 6 m. It is used for aquaculture, with nori being a major product. Various species of fauna including mudskipper (mutsugoro), Pen shell (Atrina pectinata), and fiddler crab live in the Ariake Sea. In autumn, there will be red-grass along the sea shore. Recent years have brought increasing pollution, with resultant red tide. Isahaya Bay is a branch of the Ariake Sea.
Across the Amakusa Islands lies the Yatsushiro Sea.

Many harbors are located on the coast. Among them are Misumi (in the city of Uki, Kumamoto Prefecture), Shimabara (Shimabara, Nagasaki), Taira (Unzen, Nagasaki), Nagasu (Kumamoto), Kumamoto (Kumamoto) , Miike (Omuta, Fukuoka), Kuchinotsu (Minamishimabara, Nagasaki), and Oniike (Amakusa, Kumamoto).
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Ariake ryoori 有明料理
Cuisine of products from the Ariake-kai sea
The Ariake sea and flatlands are rich in nutritients and rivers carry more nutritients from the mountains to the sea. The mix of fresh water and sea water is good for many kinds of seafood. The tide changes the sea level about 6 meters.
This food is served often in the town of Saga.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


. nama kurage 生クラゲ raw jelly fish
eaten with grated ginger and soy sauce
akakurage, aka kurage 赤水母（あかくらげ）red jellyfish
Chrysaora melanaster


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Regional Dishes from Saga 佐賀の郷土料理
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


agoyaki あご焼（トビウオ) / yaki ago 焼あご fried flying fish


aisu puranto アイスプラント "ice plant" , sea fig, chrystal leaf
Mesembryanthemum crystallinum
Carpobrotus chilensis
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
It was originally planted to keep the sand on the beaches of Saga prefecture and other parts of Japan. It has white spots like salt on its leaves.
It is now promoted for eating, called
barafu バラフ Barafu.
salty vegetable 塩味野菜
Saga University's Department of Agriculture, Prof. Ogawa Takahiro is promoting it as edible since 2006. Fa. Nokendo (Nookendoo 農研堂（のうけんどう）.
Made into Barafu ice cream and other sweets like roll cake or short cake.
http://www.barafu.jp/sweets.html . . . with photos
Or fried with other ingredients or used in salads.


burakku monburan ブラックモンブラン "black Montblanc"
ice cream with chocolate cover
when you finish eating, you might win something, written on the stick. Invented by 竹下小太郎, when he saw the Monblanc in Swizzerland and thought it might be more delicious with a chocolate cover.



dabu だぶ food for communal festivities
kyoodoshoku 郷土食. Also prepared when entertaining important visitors.
Regionally called 「ざぶ zabu 」「さぶ sabu」「らぶ rabu」
With boiled root vegetables, shiitake mushrooms, konnyaku (mostly frozen konnyaku), fu wheat gluten crutons etc. and always the lotos roots from Ariakekai. Kombu and chicken for the broth and kamaboko for more filling. Thickened with a bit of katakuri starch. Juice from squeezed fresh ginger adds some flavor and keeps the body warm in winter.
When eating the broth, it makes the sound SABU SABU when old people eat it, hence the naming.
Prepared for all the villagers.
On happy occasions, the food is cut into small squares and flavored without sugar. An even number of ingredients is used. Salt and soy sacue are usef for flavoring.
On sad occasions like funerals and memorial services (うれいの時), it is cut in triangular form and sugar is used to enliven the palate. Instead of chicken atsuage tofu is used.
It is served in a large bowl and each person can take as much as he likes into his own personal "dabu bowl" だぶ椀.
Famous isKaratsu, Hamasaki village. 唐津市浜崎地区
When prepared only for the family, it is inaka dabu 田舎だぶ, when prepared for guests, it is okyakusama dabu お客様だぶ.
This is also prepared in villages of Fukuoka in Northern Kyushu.


dagojiru だご汁 miso soup with dumplings
Famous at the hot spring Takeo onsen 武雄温泉, in the sprit of samurai simplicity and fortitude (shitsujitsu gooken しつじつごうけん【質実剛健】)
Dumplings from wheat flour are made from hand, called tsunkiridango つんきりだご, others elongated like udon are nobedango のべだご.


ganzuke がん漬け / 蟹漬 kani crab pickles
made from local fiddler crab シオマネキ shiomaneki
a kind of shiokara salt pickles
From Ariakekai
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


gyorokke 魚ロッケ/ ぎょろっけ fried mashed fish and vegetables
from 唐津市
mashed fish (surimi) eggs, carrots are mixed, covered with breadcrumbs and fried. It is formed like a fish in shape, but basically a croquette コロッケ.
Since the early Showa years at the Fujikawa Kamaboko 藤川蒲鉾本店 shop. It had also been called haikara ten ハイカラ天 highclass tempura, karee ten カレー天 curry tempura or panko ten 「パン粉天 bread crumbs tempura. Now there are two flavors, with curry or just salt.



Hizen chagayu 肥前茶粥 rice porridge from Hizen
Prepared in an earthen pot. Green tea is put in a bag and boiled with the rice.


Kanzaki soomen 神埼そうめん(神崎素麺) somen noodles from Kanzaki
They are prepared with the fresh water from rivers from the mountain area of Sefuri 脊振. They are quite chewy, but smooth. You can enjoy them cold in summer and hot in winter.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



kuri okowa 栗おこわ mochigome rice with sweet chestnuts
A necessary meal for chrysanthemum festivities on the ninth of september, the double 9 day, in the local dialect called Okunchi おくんち【御九日】 . In Arita, this is celebrated on the 9th of October


marubooro 佐賀まるぼうろ sweet round cookies
The most important sweet of the area, introduced by the "Western barbarians" from Holland to Nagasaki, more than 300 years ago. Now these cakes are made with honey and eggs and baking powser to make them softer.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



Matsuura zuke, Matsuurazuke 松浦漬け
whale pickles from Matsuura
The cartilage of the lower jaw of a whale (kaburabone かぶら骨) is watered for a long time, until all the fat is gone and then pickled in sweetened rice bran. This delicacy is counted as one of the five best in Japan 日本珍味五種.

It is sold in cans or containers from Arita porcellain that look like water goblins (kappa 河童)
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


mutsugoroo むつごろう 　/ むつ五郎 haze-type mudskipper of the wetlands
This animal is prepared as food in various ways.
mutsugoro no kabayaki むつごろう蒲焼 grilled on charcoal
Eaten from May to September.
Also as sashimi or simmered in sweetened soy sauce.


niimoji にいもじ sweet potatoes in vinegar dressing
mizuimo, mizu imo みずいも【水芋】, a kind of satsumaimo.
Best in summer to induce an appetite. Sometimes called "zuiki", when it is dried.
(See also KUMAMOTO for zuiki.)


nori 佐賀のり / 佐賀海苔 Saga Nori Laver. seaweed
from the Ariakekai Sea, which is rich in nutritients and rivers carry more nutritients from the mountains to the sea. The mix of fresh water and sea water is good for growing these nori. Since the tide changes the sea level about 6 meters, they also absorb a lot of sunight to give them extra sweetness.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
..... yakinori aisu 焼きのりアイス icecream with roasted nori flavor
. . . CLICK here for Photos !




Ogi koi 小城　鯉 carp from Ogi town
Near the Falls of Kiyomizu are many restaurants to serve them as sashimi or in miso soup, since the meat does not have a raw taste to it.
The fish grow in the clear rivers of the Tenzan mountains nearby.
. . . CLICK here for Photos of the waterfall and fish dishes!


Ogi yookan 小城羊羹 (おぎようかん）bean jelly from Ogi
also called sakura yookan. Some green powdered tea is added to the mix of sweet bean paste and kanten jelly.
Even the warlord and later regend of Japan, Toyotomi Hideyoshi is said to have liked this.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



Sagagyuu 佐賀牛 beef from Saga
One of the best in Japan. Cattle grazes in the mild climate of the area, with plenty of fresh water and clean air. It has a sweet taste.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


sazae さざえ【栄螺】 turban shells
Best grilled, near Cape Hado. They taste slightly salty and of the soy sauce grilled with them. 波戸岬サザエ
from Chinzei town, Karatsu
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


shishirian raisu シシリアンライス Sicilian rice
served on a plate, decorated with mayonnaise, eaten with chopsticks
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


shooro manjuu 松露饅頭 (しょうろうまんじゅう) round Manju cakes
"like shoro mushrooms (truffles) that grow on the trees of Niji na Matsubara 虹の松原 in spring and autumn". The cakes are filled with sweet bean paste, outside is castella cake. They are about 3 to 4 cm in diameter.
Speciality of Karatsu 唐津市.
shooroo ショウロ Rhizopogon rubescens
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



Suko sushi 須古寿司 from Suko town
Suko Town, Kishima island 杵島（きしま）郡白石（しろいし）
The area is famous for its rice planting, since more than 500 years Sushi is made. Especially mutsugoro and other seafood from Ariakekai are used. Also shiitake mushrooms, eggs, goboo, Narazuke pickles, red pickled ginger and mountain vegetables are used to bring sea and mountain on one box sushi (oshi sushi). It is thus very colorful and often also made for festivities. The villagers make it in memory of a former daimyo, who helped them inprove the rice plants of the area.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


Takesaki kani, Takezakigani 竹崎蟹 crab from Takesaki town
aogani アオガニ "blue crab" Callinectes sapidus
They are as large as 30 cm. Females are better in winter, the males in summer.
They are boiled in seawater 茹で竹崎蟹 to enjoy their natural taste.
koorazake, koora sake 甲羅酒 hot ricewine in the crab shell
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

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toofu 豆腐 bean curd
Saga is famous for its various bean curds.

. . . . . godoofu ごどうふ tofu made with kuzu vines
It is like a pudding with a shining surface and taste of rice.
from Arita 有田名物, often served in a beautiful pot of Arita pottery.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


. . . . . ishiwaridoofu - ishiwari toofu 石割豆腐 ishiwaridofu, ishiwari-dofu "tofu that can split a stone"
"stone breaking tofu"
from Kashiwajima island 神集島, near Karatsu
It is very hard and quite salty. The amount of eight normal portions of tofu are used for one serving.
Toyotomi Hideyoshi brought this preparation back from his war excursion to the Korean peninsula in the 16th century and is alive to our day.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !




. . . . . zarudoofu ザル豆腐 / ざる豆腐 tofu in a bamboo basket
This tofu is made without soaking the beans in water, so it has the natural flavor of the soy beans.
from Karatsu 唐津

see also below, Ureshino Onsen Tofu

. Saga Tofu from Kyoto　嵯峨豆腐


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Ureshino cha うれしのお茶 / 嬉野茶 tea from Ureshino
Green tea and black tea are produced, since it was introduced by the Ming-Chinese in 1504. The original tea is roasted in a metal container or kettle.
Some say this was the origin of tea production in Japan.
Also used to flavor soft ice and other regional sweets.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


Ureshino Onsen Tofu　嬉野温泉豆腐 tofu with hot spring water
Onsen water is used to make this delightful local dish. The alkaline in the water makes the bean curd in the tofu soft and mellow when it is heated in ceramic pots. Onsen tofu is traditionally served with condiments such as green onion, ginger, and sesame paste to taste.
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warasubo 藁素坊 (ワラスボ) green eel goby
Taenioides rubicundus
ワラスボ（藁苞）
Odontamblyopus lacepedii
from Ariakekai. sometimes also called subo スボ、jinkichi ジンキチ or even mutsugoroo ムツゴロウ.
His strange outlook with sharp teeth made him a model for ALIEN.
His flesh is rather tasty. Raw as sashimi, or boiled or grilled with miso. Also dried. A good friend for the sake drinker.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


Yobuko ika よぶこイカ / 呼子（よぶこ）squid from Yobuko town
near Karatsu town. The squid is almost transparent when served fresh as sashimi. Other parts are eaten as tempura.
The port of Yobuko is famous for its rich fish grounds nearby and fresh fish.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

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Yoshinogari 吉野ケ里
In Memory of Queen Himiko


Yagura manjuu やぐらまんじゅう Yagura manju
Himiko manjuu 卑弥呼まんじゅうや / 卑弥呼饅頭 Himiko manju
Himiko senbei 卑弥呼せんべい / 卑弥呼煎餅 Himiko sembei


akamai aisu 赤米アイス red rice icecream
Yoshino gaarikku 吉野ガーリック giant garlic from Yoshino
Yoshinogari kodaimen 吉野ヶ里古代麺 noodles the old style
Yoshinogari saburee 吉野ヶ里 サブレー Sablee from Yoshinogari

. WASHOKU : 吉野ケ里名物
Specialities near Yoshinogari, Saga 　

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yudedago, yude dago ゆでだご simple wheat cakes
dough from wheat is formed into small round plates by hand and cooked in water. Then brown sugar is coated around it. Sometimes yomogi mugword or red beans are mixed into the dough.
Eaten as a snack by the farmers.


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Worldwide use


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Things found on the way

Delicacies from Saga
- source : www.asobo-saga.jp/lang/english

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HAIKU and SENRYU

aki no tabi Ariakekai no umi no sachi

travelling in autumn -
the good seafood from
Ariakekai sea

Nakayama Hanako, October 2004


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むつ五郎むつ十郎の泥試合
mutsugoroo mutsujuuroo no doro shiai

mudskipper five
and mudskipper ten
fight in the mud

Mutsugoro
und Mutsujuro
machen eine Schlammschlacht

Awano Seiho 阿波野青畝 (1899 - 1992

This is a play of words with the name of Mutsugoro. Five and ten, a small one and a big one are fighting for a female.

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仏滅の晴天を呼ぶむつ五郎
butsumetsu no seiten o yobu mutsugoroo

bringing fine weather
for Buddha's death day -
Mutsugoro

Nagajima Tenseki 永島転石

(butsumetsu is also an unlucky day in the traditional yearly almanacs.)


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Related words

Mutsugoro むつ五郎 a type of haze, mudskipper, kigo for late spring

***** WASHOKU : Regional Japanese Dishes


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. Tokyo Kōtō 江東区 Koto ward, "East River" .
Sagacho 佐賀町 . 佐賀一丁目,佐賀二丁目 Saga district, first and second district



In 1692, it was named after the village headmen, 藤左衛門町 Tozaemoncho and 次兵衛町 Jiheicho.
In 1695, it was named after the Saga prefecture, because the harbour of 肥前国佐賀湊 Saga looked similar to the area in Edo.
Near the 深川地域 Fukagawa area, former 深川佐賀町 Fukagawa Sagacho.
In 1878, it became part of 深川区 Fukagawa ward.
In 1947, Fukagawa became part of Koto ward.

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- #sagaprefecture #saga -
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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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Wasabi green horseradish

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Japanese Horseradish (wasabi)

***** Location: Japan
***** Season: See below.
***** Category: Humanity

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Explanation

Wasabi, Japanese horseradish

green horseradish

和佐比, わさび,ワサビ, 山葵
Wasabia japonica , Cochlearia wasabi, or Eutrema japonica
kigo see below

Few places are suitable for large-scale wasabi cultivation, and cultivation is difficult even in ideal conditions, because it needs extremely clear water
In Japan, wasabi is cultivated mainly in these areas with plenty of good water:

Izu peninsula, Shizuoka prefecture
Iwate prefecture
Nagano prefecture
Shimane prefecture
Yamanashi prefecture

The word, in the form 和佐比, first appeared in 918 in
The Japanese Names of Medical Herbs (本草和名 Honzō Wamyō, honzoo wamyoo).
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !

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KANSAI WASABI

Water quality is vital for mizu wasabi (water horseradish), which grows in running water. The three necessary conditions require the water to be so clean that iwana (char) and yamame (landlocked salmon) can live in it, to be plentiful, and to have a temperature from 8 to 18 centigrade all year round.

In Kansai, wasabi is cultivated in Kakumagi, Wakayama Prefecture, where wasabi is presumed to have originated, and in Azai Town in Shiga Prefecture's Kohoku area around the northern part of Lake Biwa, both noted for their water. Wasabi sushi, in which rice and salted mackerel are rolled in a wasabi leaf, is a famous product of Shimizu Town in Wakayama.
source : 　www.kippo.or.jp


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AZUMINO 安曇野

Daio Wasabi Farm 山葵園 Wasabi-En

The Daioo Wasabi Farm lies in the peaceful outskirts of Hotaka town and is recognised as the largest such farm in Japan. Founded in 1915, the farm has enjoyed a long history throughout the years that has even seen it featured in the 1990 film Dreams, directed by the internationally acclaimed director Akira Kurosawa. The quaint watermills that were especially constructed for the film remain in the farm today, and can be best viewed by taking one the special raft-tours that are available throughout the spring and summer months.

While the Daio Wasabi Farm has long been a favourite of Japanese tourists for its picturesque beauty, the farm is also notable for the wide-array of culinary delights offered by its restaurants and shops. Visitors can try traditional staples such as wasabi soba (buckwheat noodles, a local speciality) and wasabi tempura (deep-fried prawns and vegetables), to the slightly less conventional likes of wasabi ice-cream and wasabi wine - surprisingly delicious, despite their rather strange sounding taste!
source : www.azumino-e-tabi.net

. . . CLICK here for Photos !

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wasabida 山葵田 wasabi fields

for examle in 安曇野 Azumino, Nagano pref.


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wasabi to jooruri wa naite homeru
山葵と浄瑠璃は泣いてほめる

wasabi and Joruri puppet theater recitation are praized with your tears.

Good wasabi is so hot you start to cry.
Good bunraku theater performance is so sad that you cry.

Wasabi und den Begleitgesang beim Puppentheater lobt man durch Tränen.



wasabi wa kowai kao de orose
ワサビはこわい顔でおろせ

Wasabi muss man mit einem ernsten Gesicht reiben.
this means
you should do it strongly and seriously to get the pungent ingredient アリルインチオシアネートout of the root. So you have to keep grinding more and more in a good circle to prepare a good wasabi.



sushi no karami wa wasabi ni kagiru
鮨の辛味は、山葵にかぎる

a spicy sushi is best made with wasabi

wasabi is called namida なみだ　in the sushi shops, meaning "tears".



ことわざに見る栄養学
http://www.edogawa.com/eat/eat/kotowaza/index.html




If you want your sushi without wasabi, ask for

sabinuki さびぬき (さび抜き).



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Station lunchbox from Numazu, Shizuoka
港あじ鮨（駅弁）静岡県沼津


Minato Ajizushi Bento

Sushi from horse mackerel with wasabi
A piece of fresh wasabi is added to the bento, with a tiny green grinder for extra fresh flavor!


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wasabi matsuri わさびまつり wasabi festival

in Izu Town 伊豆市地蔵堂

the pungent ingredient is ariru karashi abura アリルからし油


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wasabi ryoori わさび料理 wasabi dishes
from the area of Nikko

わさび料理教室


wasabizuke わさび漬け（山葵漬け pickled wasabi
perpared with the stem and leaves of the plant and seke lees. A bit of sugar can be added.


. . . CLICK here for Photos !




Memorial stone for wasabizuke, which originated in Shizuoka
わさび漬け発祥の地の碑（静岡市葵区駿府公園）
©　More in the Japanese WIKIPEDIA !

This is a kind of hot sidedish with many types of fish. It is said to prevent stomach upset in the summer season. The easiest preparation is with sugar and vinegar, but there are regional recipies for the mix, mostly with sake lees.
It is a favorite regional souvenir.
. wasabi - spring Kigo . 　　

In Yamanashi, best from Kosuge village 小菅村, proud of its clean water.
. Washoku - Yamanashi Prefecture . 　　


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from my neighbourhood souvenir store

wasabi arare わさびあられ rice crackers



wasabi senbei わさびせんべい small crackers



WASHOKU
Wasabi from Noboribetsu, Hokkaido 登別のわさび


from Izu Peninsula :

wasabi daifuku わさび大福 dumplings with sweet bean paste and a bit of ground wasabi in the middle
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


tempura from fresh wasabi leaves
crackers with cream cheese and a tip of ground wasabi


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Worldwide use

Japanischer Meerrettich

Normaler weisser Meerrettich ist yamawasabi


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Things found on the way




yamawasabi 山わさび normal white horseradish,
grown in Hokkaido, indroduced by the Europeans.
北海道の山わさび, lit. "mountain horseradish"

SUSHI
temaki yamawasabi kappa
hand-wrapped cucumber rolls with wild wasabi


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HAIKU

kigo for late spring
wasabi 山葵田（わさびだ） field with wasabi
wasabizawa 山葵沢（わさびざわ）creek with wasabi
hawasabi 葉山葵（はわさび）leaf-wasabi
tsuchi wasabi 土山葵（つちわさび）wasabi in the earth
hata wasabi 畑山葵（はたわさび）wasabi in the field

shiro wasabi 白山葵（しろわさび）white wasabi
aokuki wasabi 青茎山葵（あおくきわさび）
wasabi with a green stem
akakuki wasabi 赤茎山葵（あかくきわさび）
wasabi with a red stem

kigo for mid-spring
wasabizuke 山葵漬 (わさびづけ)


kigo for early summer
wasabi no hana 山葵の花 flowers of wasabi


They are rather small, but a whole field in bloom is quite a sight.


滝からの水に山葵がひきしまり
taki kara no mizu ni wasabi ga hikishimari

in the water
from the waterfall wasabi becomes
all tough and strong

Shibuya Shiori 渋谷志をり



わさび田を覗けば映る人の顔　　
wasabida o nozokeba utsuru hito no kao 　　

peeking into
a wasabi field it reflects
the human face

Kiuchi Shiyuu 木内紫幽 （しゆう）


山岳部わさびのとれる村を抜け
森紫苑荘



沸き水の豊かさわさび田の自慢
西村喜久恵



山葵漬　長子は　父を敬遠す　　　　　　　　　　
浜明史


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Related words

***** WASHOKU : INGREDIENTS

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