TsukuBlog

Ibaraki`s Famous Plum ( Ume) Season Sweets, and some thoughts they elicit on Japanese culture

2010-03-16T11:26:53Z

Mito no Ume- my favorite accompanient to plum blossom viewing

In Japan, at the heart of nearly every plan, at the core of any just abot event, ceremony or excursion- there is EATING. No matter how solemn or raucus the ancient rite or how exquisite, refined or interesting the art, music , nature or history encountered, it is THE FOOD which is looked forward to, savored, and afterward, remembered and spoken of. It is also almost always photographed.

This is reflected in an old saying which anyone interested in understanding Japanese culture should remember:

HANA YORI DANGO ( 花より団子)

which directly translated is: More than the cherry blossoms, the sweet dumplings! This popular and commonly used expression can be taken to mean that even though we have come out to see the cherry blossoms in full bloom, it is the food that really matters! This thinking can be applied to nearly any activity in Japan.

Thus, do not be surprised if your Japanese friends have gone to see Kabuki in Tokyo, and later, instead of telling you about the play itself ( which they had most probably slept through anyway!), they excitedly describe the contents of their MAKU-NO-UCHI-BENTO, the famous lunch boxes eaten between acts.

Or if you know someone planning a trip on the SHINKANSEN ( bullet train), probably more than the views from the window, they are dreaming sitting in the comfortable chairs with a beer and opening up their EKI-BEN, the unique boxed lunches which certain stations are famous for.

I could go on and on. If you`d like some quick proof of the PROMINENCE of food in the minds of the Japanese right , just head over to your local Japanese bookstore and have a look at a guidebook or travel magazine. They are filled mostly with detailed photos of the dishes and snacks that the traveller can enjoy. Only a few sentences are spared for the boring historical or cultural details.

Another, important aspect of Japanese culture that anyone interested in this country should be aware of, is that when someone travels somewhere, whether for business or pleasure ( but especially for pleasure) they should, as a matter of course, bring back or send OMIYAGE ( お土産). These are gifts, usually representative of the place visited, and they are given to relatives, colleagues neighbors, etc.

Japanese entrepreneurs have developed an amazing array of these OMIYAGE, many of which have become veritable icons representing their cities or attractions and are recognizable by any Japanese. These are usually beautifully, and even extravagantly packaged, and more often than not contain some explanation about their special relation to the places which they are connected to.

Because of this custom, even those of you who never leave Tsukuba can get a chance to enjoy, in the form of received OMIYAGE, special delicacies and treats from every corner of Japan, and even from the far reaches of the globe.

A strip of Noshi Ume

Now I can start to get to the point! In February and March Japan`s plum trees start to bloom. Ibaraki Prefecture, in which Tsukuba, my town, is located is famous for these trees. In fact, plum trees ( UME) are our Prefectural Tree!

The reason for this is that one of the most famous spots for enjoying plum blossoms in all of Japan is right in our Prefectural capital,Mito.

The Kairaku En Garden is ranked as one of the 3 great gardens of Japan. Most visitors are usually disappointed, however, to find that this garden actually looks not very different from an ordinary park. Except for in this season, that is! About 30,000 plum trees, with blossoms of various colors, burst into bloom in February and March in and around the garden- spectacular!.

During this time tourists arrive by the bus load from far and wide. Traffic around the garden is insanely congested congested. There is even a temporary train station which opened for this 2 month period. In this part of Japan it is THE EVENT OF THE SEASON

As I mentioned earlier, these throngs of people have not only come to enjoy the flowers. They have come to eat AND buy omiyage. Since many of friends, neighbors, and students have have made the trip to the famous garden this year, I have been lucky to get my season`s fill of two of my favorite OMIYAGE sweets:

Mito no Ume- sweet bean paste wrapped in a shiso leaves which have been soaked in plum syrup !

And

Noshi Ume- transluscent, amber colored strips of jelly made of plums and brown sugar. They come sandwiched in sheets of real bamboo bark and their combination of sweet and sour sensations is refreshing.

Both representative of Mito at any time of year, but most popular in this season, when so people visit that city.

Since for me the dango ( dumplings) DO NOT come before the flowers, I would like to explain a little bit more about the connection of UME to Mito.

In ancient China, the plum tree was said to be the tree of scholarship and learning. There it was said that a plum trees would only blossom in the gardens of those who loved to study. In this way, UME trees were also called KOBUNKI ( 好文木), which means the trees that love learning.

The fruit of the plum trees were also believed to have medicinal powers, and in China, under-ripe plums were ( and still are) smoked, and then eaten. These have been said to be good to reduce fever, stop coughing, purge parasites, and reduce nausea.

The plums can also be made into wine.

After being introduced to Japan, more than one thousand years ago, these trees also became associated with scholars ( especially with Sugarawa no Michizane 854-903, who spirit was actually enshrined as a God of Learning- Tenjin), and their fruit became one of the most essential elements of Japanese food culture, especially in the form of dried-salted plums- UME BOSHI, and UME SHU- plum wine.

When Tokugawa Nariaki, the ninth Lord of Mito, planned the garden ( which was completed in 1842),he had so many plum trees planted for two reasons: for food, in case of war or famine, and as a symbol of scholarship, for which his family was famous ( they compiled the history of Japan called the Dai-Nihon Shi, and created a school of thought now called as Mito-Studies).

Now having said that, I can pop another Mito no Ume into my mouth, and wash it down with a little UME SHU.

AHHH. This is the life!

Let this posting be a lesson to anyone living in Japan. Remember- giving gifts is important. If someone has given yo OMIYAGE, you should probably reciprocate.

Let me finish with this story:

As an extreme example of OMIYAGE giving, let me tell you about the time I guided a group of elderly Japanese women ( in their 70`s and 80`s) to New York. At the airport on the way back home, the oldest lady in our group bought 50 boxes of overpriced chocolate in packages which had a picture of manhattan on the cover. These were for each family in her village! The cost was well over what she had paid for the entire trip up to that point!

And here is one of the more interesting OMIYAGE I have recently received. This is from the town of Obama, in Fukui Prefecture. The company that produces these cookies is trying to cash in on the fact that the city`s name is spelled and pronounced in exactly the the same way as the name of the current American president. ( and by the way, a visit to Obama in Fukui is well worth it, for its old temples and shrines!)

Obama Cookies- a popular OMIYAGE from Obama City in Fukui Prefecture

By the way, both Mito no Ume and Noshi Ume are available at Tsukuba`s Seibu Department Store ( and they give out free tasting samples!)

A Lesser Seen Japanese Rite of Passage: O-KUIZOME ( お食い初め), in which, besides the baby, A ROCK is the STAR!

2010-03-14T06:31:40Z

Various foods and STONE for ritual tasting

Being a parent involves almost constant concern over children`s health and development. Even in these days of relatively advanced medical science and easilly accessible health care, parents sigh in relief at the passing of each flu season and each epidemic scare. It is hard to imagine what is must have been like in past ages.

That it why it is only natural that parents, no matter where in the world, celebrate their childrens growth, and that traditionally there have arisen ceremonies and rites meant to provide children with a little extra, one could say MAGICAL assistanc, in their road to reaching adulthhod in health and safety.

In Japan, with its great tradition of festive decoration and dress , certain rites and celebrations related to age have become a popular subjects for photographers, professional and amateur, and pictures of these events, especially SHICHI-GO-SAN ( in which children 3, 5, and 7 years of age, dressed in traditional wear, visit shrines with their parents) and Coming of Age Day ( in which 20 year-olds, often wearing kimono gather to celebrate), can often be seen in posters, guidebooks, coffee-table books and magazines, as in the photo album of many tourists who have visited Japan. Even if you dont have a camera, having a look at these events is an unforgetable Japanese encounter.

and Coming of Age Day: http://blog.alientimes.org/2009/01/tsukubas-coming-of-age-ceremony-seijin-shiki-proceeds-almost-without-incident/

Only the stone remains ( after the family members have eaten the rest)

The fact is though, that most of Japan`s numerous age related ceremonies and celebrations ( and there ARE many of them!), are NOT so easilly or often seen by foreigners, either tourist or resident. One of the most interesting ( and popular, for Japanese families) of these, is the ceremony which is usually called O-Kui zome ( お食い初め, literally FIRST EATING), and takes place when a baby is about 100 days old.

Let me tell you about it.

The Okuizome ( pronounced O kui zoh meh) , is a ritual feeding , in which various foods, usually rice, fish and vegetables, are put against the babies lips with chopsticks. Interestingly, something else besides food is touched to the babies mouth and gums- A SMOOTH, ROUND, STONE- which among other effects, is supposed to help the childs teeth and head properly harden.

There are records of this custom having existed in the Heian Period ( 794-1185), and thus it has been around for at least a thousand years. In the earliest references it was called MOMOGA NO IWAI ( 百日祝, meaning the One-hundredth Day Celebration). By now it has spread and is practised throughout Japan, though naturally with plenty of regional variation.

In Tsukuba, at least in some of its neighborhoods, the kuizome is held on the 110th day. In other area it is on the 100th day or the 120th. Anyway, generally speaking, the ceremony is held at AROUND the 100th day, and the most convenient day for relatives to gather ( probably the weekend) is usually set for the occassion.

Each food, and the stone is ritually put to the babies lips and gums

Though the kuizome has traditionally been and is still usually held at home, these days, busy families might reserve a room at a traditional Japanese restaurant. In Tsukuba, Ichinoya, a restaurant which caters to a wide assortment of traditional celebrations, offers special Okuizome packages.

Though it is alright to use everyday household dishes, for this occassion, most families buy a special laquer tray and bowls ( there are different colors for boys and girls depending on the region), and a pair of chopsticks made from the wood of a willow tree.Naturally, those celebrating at a restaurant save themselves the trouble of having to prepare these things themselves.

As for the foods required, the essentials are:

A fish ( usually the celebratory TAI, sea bream), which should have its head and tail still attached ( this symbolizes strengthening of the neck)

Beans ( these represent loyalty and diligence since the Japanese word for beans MAME is a homophone for these virtues).

Boiled vegetables ( usually seasonal, and might include some kelp ( konbu), whose Japanese name reminds one of the word yoroKOBU – to be glad)

Soup

and of course- rice. Either plain white rice, or the celebratory sticky rice called SEKIHAN.

In Tsukuba, it is traditional to include UDON noodles among the kuizome dishes, as it represents LONG LIFE.

The stone or stones ( depending on the region), which should be small round, smooth and flat, can be either taken from a riverbank ( and washed!), or gotten at a shrine. Especially at the shrine where the baby had its MIYAMAIRI ( first visit to a shrine), when it was about one month old. Again, reserving a restaurant saves one the trouble of finding or getting the stones!

The Ritual Feeding

The ritual meal ( of course the babys are too young to actually EAT the foods), is an expression of the hope that the child grow to enjoy a wide variety of foods and that he/she never go hungry.

Though there is variation from region to region a common order of fake feeding would be: rice, soup, rice, fish, rice, vegetables, rice, beans- repeated three times. Some families might actually put ONE GRAIN OF RICE into the childs mouth

The rice could be said to be a symbolic ENERGIZER put to the babies lips to provide him/her with a dose of LIFE ENERGY.

Finally, the stone is put to the lips and gums. As I said, this is done in the hope that the child`s teeth will grow strong, his/her head and neck frim and solid, and spirit strong .

The stone is also intended as a spiritual energizer in that it can be considered to be a YORISHIRO （依代), a receptacle or antennae for receiving the Goddess of Childbirth- the UBUGAMI ( 産神）. The round shape of the stones reflects the shape of the mirrors found in shrines ( like that which attracted the Sun Goddess Amaterasu) and in turn the Kagami mochi ( mirror shaped rice cakes used to attract the God of the New Year) eaten at the beginnig of the year for spiritual re-invigoration.

Usually, the person chosen to do the ritual feeding is a grandparent ( the same sex as the child), or the oldest available relative, as having an aging person perform the ritual was thought to guarantee long life to the child.

Naturally, all the relatives ( and or neighbors) who attend, enjoy lots of eating and drinking! All in all, its a charming and delicious way for a family to get together and celebrate a child`s 100th day!

1 Comments

At March 14, 2010, Nora wrote:
Omedetoo and Best Wishes as long as a star live!

Trench Warfare Declared on Woods, Hikers and Wildlife in Tsukuba`s Nakane Konda ( 中根金田台)

2010-03-14T05:38:52Z

A trench which now runs through the Konda Woods

Though the air is still brisk , it is filled with the fragrance of spring. Especially the sweet perfume of the numerous plum trees which are now bursting into bloom throughout Tsukuba ( and the rest of the Kanto Area). The UGUISU ( bush warblers), those little, hard to spot birds whose call has long been the traditional symbol of spring in Japan, have also returned, and I can hear them ( though I`ve not yet actually seen one), in the early mornings, flitting about in my garden in Tsukuba`s Konda neighborhood.

( read more of what Ive written about UGUISU here:

http://blog.alientimes.org/2009/02/eating-uguisu-mochi-in-anticipation-of-japans-most-famous-sound-of-spring/ )

In past years,one of the great pleasures of spring for me, has been to walk through the woods behind my house , to an open meadow, where I sit down and listen. The chatter of birds is astounding. An almost continuous call and response going on between the uguisu, punctuated by the frequent squawking of pheasant ( kiji), and the shrill cries of various birds of prey.

This week, however, when I set out to my favorite spot, armed with binoculars,camera and eager ears, I found my path blocked by a deep trench, which I discovered ran for more than a kilometer through the woods. WHAT IS GOING ON ? – I thought? Not only was this an obstacle impeding the free passage of the areas numerous small mammals (and other creatures), but it also ran right through the nesting area of our local ( and very nervous) goshawk!

Walking along this trench towards the road, I finally reached the construction crew which was in the process of further extending it. They were under the employ of UR 都市再生機構 (UR Toshi Saisei Kiko), the company which has bought up much of the land around here with the aim of developing it, despite the fact that it is rife with archaeological sites and is the last surviving major lowland wood forest ecosystem in Tsukuba.

When I asked about what they were doing, they explained that because so many trees in the area had been cut down ( by THEM!), there was a danger of flooding ( as the trees which were cut down used to absorb excess rain water) and that they had to dig these trenches for drainage.

Surely, the deforestation recently carried out by UR in the Nakane Kondadai woods has made it necessary to install some form of drainage system. However, why did they have to run these trenches through the woods that local residences thought they had PROTECTED AND SAVED. No, the company did not actually CUT DOWN the trees, but these trenches, not only FRAGMENT this important ecosystem by dividing up and impeding the free movement of wildlife, but these canals, when filled with water, might damage/ kill the surrounding trees. Most importantly, this noisy construction project will probably keep our local goshawk from nesting in the area ( the nesting season is NOW). The birds presence has long been a problem for the construction company and they will be very happy if it takes up residence elsewhere. With this trench project it probably will!

I guess it will not be so easy ( or pleasant) to take my usual walk sin the woods this spring. And though it seems that there is nothing we can do to stop the construction ( as it is already underway) I think it would be appropriate, that when the company finishes digging these trenches that they COVERthem in a way that will permit the areas small animals to cross over without getting trapped.

For more read:

http://blog.alientimes.org/2010/02/more-tree-fellings-in-tsukuba-leave-local-activists-and-forest-stumped/

http://blog.alientimes.org/2009/03/the-destruction-of-rare-woods-and-covering-up-of-ancient-ruins-for-suburban-chicago-style-development-in-tsukubas-nakane-konda-dai-%E4%B8%AD%E6%A0%B9%E3%83%BB%E9%87%91%E7%94%B0%E5%8F%B0-is-bizarrel/

http://blog.alientimes.org/2008/06/fighting-to-protect-tsukubas-remaining-wilds/

1 Comments

At March 16, 2010, Kevin wrote:
For a culture that embraces nature, or so it seems from what I have learned about Japanese culture, it is very sad to see these precious resources being pillaged away to nothing.
I feel your despair...

A History of WHITE DAY in Japan

2010-03-13T00:43:15Z

Shopping for White Day in Tsukuba

The Japanese calendar of annual events has gone through many changes over the centuries, with certain customs variously having been added, forgotten, or transformed into something unrecognizably different from what they started out as. And while the origins and evolution of many of Japan’s most famous NENCHUGYOJI (年中行事、traditional annual events) remain obscured by the veil of their antiquity (by Japanese standards), the rise of one new, but now already widely established custom, occurred in the full light of the Late Showa Period (the late 70s-late 80s), and can be traced in great detail.

White Day Shopping in Tsukuba

I am talking about White Day, the UNIQUE answer which arose to Japan’s UNIQUE way of celebrating Valentine’s Day, in which WOMEN give gifts (usually chocolate), not only to one SPECIAL SOMEONE or male family members, but (also) to several (or numerous) classmates, colleagues, teachers, etc. On White Day, which falls exactly one month later, on March 14th, the men who have received their Valentine’s chocolate are expected to give OKAESHI, a gift in return, which most commonly consists of marshmallows, chocolate, cookies, or cakes (usually white, or at least light colored), and which as SPECIAL gifts to THAT SOMEONE SPECIAL might take the form of flowers or even lingerie (white, of course! ).

That is why, this week, you will notice a difference in the look of the average shopper at Seibu Department Store’s ground floor food section. Until the store closes its doors on Saturday the 14th, there will be an ever increasing preponderance of men in suits, or older men — well, just plenty of men in general — types who are not usually spotted in groups food shopping at department stores in Japan. These gentlemen, under pressure, have a daunting task ahead of them: deciding, out of all the possible choices of cakes, cookies and chocolates available at the specially set up, temporary White Day counters, which to purchase as White Day gifts. You might notice that some older men even bring their wives along to help them decide. These women are not picking out sweets for their husbands mistresses (though a few might be!). They are selecting the proper OKAESHI for all the chocolates their husbands received at work. Not returning the gifts would more than likely mean not getting chocolate from the snubbed person next year, and in contemporary Japan, the amount of Valentine’s chocolate one gets is a point of pride. Besides, for the Japanese, OKAESHI is an important part of all social relations in Japan, and not returning a gift would be considered thoughtless or even insulting in some situations.

That is why, considering the one-way, woman to man, Valentine’s Day which has developed in Japan, it is not strange at all that a day like White Day came into being. The only question for me is, why did it take so long?

It took 5 years of perseverance and close cooperation between various confectioners before a chord was struck with the general population’s deeply ingrained sense of GIRI (obligation) and the commonly held view that all gifts should be returned.

It was only in 1978, more than 10 years after Valentines Day had become a part of Japanese life, that the 3rd generation owner of Fukuoka City’s Ishimura Manseido (石村萬盛堂) Confectionery Shop asked the same question in a letter to the editor of a women’s magazine. Why was there no OKAESHI for the gifts given on Valentine’s Day? He recommended that marshmallows be a feature of any sweet given on the day that he suggested be called Marshmallow Day. It was not until the next year that a group of confectioners got together to promote this new idea, and came up with the name White Day.

In June 1979, a meeting of the the All Japan Sweets and Confectionery Makers Union (全国飴菓子工業同組合) convened in Nagoya and decided to go ahead with a White Day Campaign, which would be implemented in 1981.

The advertising campaign was a big success in the first year, with excellent sales for many of the products which were promoted. For the next 4 years, however, things went downhill. By the fifth year of White Day campaigning, the group of organizers was ready to call it quits. They decided to make one last effort.

That year, 1986, which was meant as one last try at success, proved to be the turning point in making White Day a regular NENCHUGYOJI. In fact, that year ,there was not enough supply to meet the demand for White Day products. Profits exceeded 5.5 billion yen.

Well, for better or for worse, that’s how we got White Day.

So guys, don’t forget. In Japan, its always give and take. If you don’t give back, you don’t get no more! Happy shopping!

Zakumata, Y-shaped sticks placed at cross-roads are a unique way of praying for EASY DELIVERY!

2010-03-14T01:20:17Z

FOR A WOMAN`S HOUR OF GREATEST NEED, A CALL TO MAN`S BEST FRIEND

Zakumata in Tsukuba City`s Oda

Sticks and stones standing at the fork in the road. Many pass by them every day. Most do not notice. I have spoken to very few who do. For me, however, the large, roughly-hewn Y-shaped sticks, leaning up against the gray, grainy, gravestone-like sacred slabs, never fail to grab my attention.

It’s as if they shout to me from a distant, pre-Yamato past, crying out from among the aluminum and asphalt, convenience store ridden jungle of a new world which has sprung up so rudely around them.

Zakumata in Tsukuba City`s Kukizaki

When long ago (much longer than I like to admit), I first began to wander the backroads of Tsukuba and had just begun to take up the study of the Japanese Language in earnest, it was coming across these rustically whittled sticks, which upon closer inspection revealed mysterious inscriptions, that drew me to the world of local MINKAN SHINKO (民間信仰), or folk beliefs. Even at that time, I could discern that not all the writing on the sticks was in Japanese characters. One prong was usually inscribed in Sanskrit. And though my Japanese skills were still in their embryonic stage, there was one character familiar to me, which appeared on each stick — 犬, or DOG! How absolutely bizarre this seemed to me! My curiosity was aroused further when all of my Japanese new-resident, researcher or salary-men friends were as puzzled as I was when I asked them for an explanation.

Many years have passed and I have come a long way in gaining an understanding of this ancient and VERY localized custom. There is at present no information available in English (I believe this will be the first description of this custom in the language of Shakespeare and Joyce) and very little is available in Japanese. All the knowledge I have acquired has come from the mouths of locals, mostly farmers, and usually senior citizens. It is from them that I learned that these slingshot-like sticks are called ZAKUMATA or ZAKOMATA and that the custom of setting them at a fork in the road is called INUKUYO (犬供養）or Offerings to Dogs. Most surprising, was finding out that this custom was related to pregnancy and childbirth, probably THE most awe-inspiring and (because of the perils involved) prayer-inducing event in the human life cycle.

Trying to understand how dogs, forked-sticks and crossroads related to reproduction has given me deeper insights into traditional ways of reasoning in which seemingly incongruous objects can be connected through similarity of shape or sound.

Well, enough of this wordy introduction. Let’s get to the crux of the (zaku)MATA!

In Japanese culture, dogs are a symbol of safe childbirth because it is thought that dogs themselves deliver their puppies easily. To this day, many women go to a temple on the first Dog Day of the year (every day on the traditional calendar is designated with a different animal of the oriental zodiac in cycles of 12) to receive a specially blessed sash called a dog-obi ( INU-OBI). This is worn throughout the pregnancy to protect the unborn child and ensure easy delivery. In this area (Tsukuba), most women go to the Amabiki Kannon Temple in Makabe to receive their sashes and blessings. Additionally, each village or hamlet (mura) holds regular prayer sessions for fertility, safe pregnancy and easy delivery. Specific customs vary from community to community.

There is a special twist, however, to these rites, as they are held in Ibaraki Prefecture and its fringes in Chiba and Tochigi. This involves the cutting of a forked branch from a tree, taking it to a temple to be inscribed, then holding a ceremony to set it at a traditionally designated fork in the road ( or other palce) at which there is a sekibutsu (sacred stone). This ceremony is called Inukuyo ( 犬供養), because these offerings are made to the spirits of deceased dogs, hoping that they will intercede favorably on behalf of the pregnant women and help ensure a safe delivery.

A zakumata set in concrete in Tsukuba`s Hanamuro

A Y-shaped branch is placed at the Y in the road because the shape is reflective of the spread legs of a woman in labor. The Y shape and dogs are connected in that they both have a symbolic connection to childbirth. Because of this, when an old female dog who was kept by local farmers dies,it might still be buried at the fork in the road under the zakumata.

Specifics regarding inukuyo vary greatly within Ibaraki and even within Tsukuba. Each hamlet has different customs regarding the dates and frequency of the Dog Offering Ceremony, the kind of wood used to make the zakumata, and the type (sect) of temple at which the zakumata is inscribed.

Given the limited space I plan to use for this article , I will list the specifics of the custom as practiced in Tsukuba`s Kukizaki neighborhood as explained to me by Mrs Yoko Noguchi.

In Noguchi-san’s neighborhood the ceremony is carried out twice a year, on the third Sundays of March and October. They use the wood of the chestnut tree, because chestnuts come off the tree easily, with a mere touch, and the sound of its coming off –PORO-TO (in Japanese onomatopoeia) — suggests easy delivery. The zakumata are taken to a temple of the Shingon sect to be inscribed and blessed.

Noguchi-San said that her neighbors bury their dogs and cats, especially if they are very old, under the zakumata.

In some towns in Ibaraki, offerings are made not to dogs but to cats. This is because it is believed that cats have difficulty in delivering and would want to help us avoid the suffering that they go through! The town nearest Tsukuba in which you can commonly see nekokuyo written on zakumata is Makabe.

Even with the astonishing developments in obstetrics and the great reduction in recent years in complications and death related to childbirth, you still might want a little extra spiritual support to quell your anxieties over an upcoming birth. If that is the case, you can cut yourself a zakumata and head for the crossroad. Remember Y marks the spot!

2 Comments

At March 9, 2010, Nora wrote:
Yeah! Very Great like first article for this unknowable 'eda'!
Thank's a lot for keeping our interest, Cheers!))
At March 10, 2010, Kevin wrote:
I find these articles fascinating. These customs are unknown to so many people, expecially in the West. Thank you for sharing all that you have learned with us.
Great Article~!!!

PLUM crazy! Ibaraki`s Ume Trees in Bloom! ( revisited)

2010-03-09T08:38:42Z

When one uses the word HANAMI (花見, flower viewing) on its own, it is understood by native speakers of Japanese to refer to the viewing and enjoyment of blooming CHERRY BLOSSOMS alone, and not of any other flower. This clearly shows the high regard given to the fragile pink blossoms which have since ancient times symbolized the transient nature of all things, one of the cornerstone concepts of Japanese aesthetics and philosophy. Going to a meisho (名所, a famous place） for viewing cherry blossoms can reveal to you how the Japanese have turned the simple pleasure of enjoying flowers in bloom into what seems like a religious pilgrimage. From near and far they come, as couples, families, or groups shuttled in on karaoke equipped tour buses. They bring lunch-boxes and of course cameras. The blossoms are observed intently (and I mean with great intention, as if posing in a kabuki play) from afar and then from way in up close.
The atmosphere is at once, solemn and celebratory, reverent and ribald.

Though not as philosophically appealing, the more prosaic plum (ume) blossoms also bring in the crowds (though the late night drinking and revelry beneath the trees is reserved for the cherry). This week you have a chance to see the 3000 plum trees of the famed Kairakuen Garden in Mito in full bloom. Until the end of the week, a temporary train station will be in use bringing you direct service to the gardens entrance. The garden offers the chance to see varieties of plum trees you never thought existed. The tora-no-o, which looks like a tigers tail, the darly pink kounshomu, the nearly translucent tsukikage, etc.

The plum blossoms are the first of the major flowers to bloom each year. Their fragrance in the air is a sign that spring is coming. Their hardiness and resistance to cold and wind make them a very auspicious symbol. If you read ancient Japanese poems, there are hundreds of references to the blossoms of the beautiful and practical plum tree. It is because they provide the medicinally important and tasty plums for umeboshi (salted plums) which have become a standard part of every boxed lunch, that the frugal and practical minded Tokugawa Nariaki, the founder of the Kairakuen Garden planted so many of the trees.
You can enjoy the fruit of his efforts by getting on the Joban line this week, heading north just one stop past Mito station, and enjoying the blossoms, the spectacle and maybe a little plum wine (ume shu, 梅酒). Entrance is FREE!

I have written more about PLUM BLOSSOMS ( ume no hana) in Japanese culture and history. Read it here:

http://blog.alientimes.org/2009/02/a-glimpse-and-whiff-of-things-to-come/

Hina Matsuri- Tsukubans In No Rush To Put Away Hina Dolls ( revisited)

2010-03-03T06:47:21Z

It is March 3rd and across Japan families with daughters are celebrating the Hina Matsuri (雛祭り) Doll Festival with chirashizushi (vinegared sushi-rice topped with shrimp, salmon roe and colorful strips of egg, carrot and seaweed) clam soup (hamaguri no ushio, はまぐりの潮汁）, brightly dyed traditional rice-based sweets called hishimochi (ひし餅) and a milky colored sweet rice wine called shirozake ( 白酒). Though these 3 dishes and the sake have become the standardized Girls Day FARE throughout the country, there is surprising variation to be found among the Japanese in terms of how they display and subsequently put away the star attractions of the season — the Hina Dolls themselves.

Department stores and other shops start displaying and promoting the fantastically ornate and very expensive Hina Doll sets right after the New Year Holiday. This type of set became popular in the Edo Period (1600-1867) and has been customarily presented upon the birth of a first daughter by the maternal grandparents. A full set requires a seven-tiered staircase-like deck on which to display the prince and princess, ministers, attendants, musicians and the procession of dowry goods. Of course such a set can cost an arm and a leg and even more importantly takes up a lot of precious space. Thus it has been quite common for families to have and display just the prince and princess dolls.

The Hina Dolls are taken out and displayed in February, though there seems to be no consensus on exactly when it is best to do so. Some people do it right after Setsubun in the first week of the month, or on any other auspicious date after that. It depends on the family.

In this way, Japanese families can enjoy these sublimely beautiful seasonal decorations for a few weeks or days before March third, the day of the festival itself, on which it is commonly believed that the dolls must be put away. According to tradition, if the dolls are not packed in their boxes on the 3rd, the daughters of the house will have trouble getting married.

I have found, however, that many of the old Ibaraki families do not put there dolls away until May! They explain this by saying that they like to have the dolls out right up until it’s time for the Boys Day decorations. They usually claim that it is so troublesome to set up the Hina Dolls that they would like to display them for as long as possible.

Alcohol free Shirozake ( in Kitty-Chan bottle) and Hina Dolls made from silkworm cocoons

It goes without saying that these families live in large homes in which the sets don’t get in the way of anybody. As so many Japanese now live in small apartments, I have found an endless variety of smaller rabbit-hutch friendly Hina Dolls or figures. These can be made of origami or be simple cut-outs. I have even seen families display postcards with pictures of dolls.

In fact, these smaller, paper dolls are more authentic than the ornate artworks created by the Edo Period craftsmen. This is because the Hina matsuri has its roots in Heian Period ( 794-1185) Japan when people would purify themselves by projecting all their sins into paper dolls which were then cast off into the sea or a river. In Wakayama Prefecture I have seen the dolls being set afloat on rivers as the tradition still lives on there.

For a more detailed discussion of this festival`s history see my article:

http://blog.alientimes.org/2010/02/the-evolution-of-japans-hina-dolls-hina-ningyo-a-brief-look/

I guess it can be said that the custom of packing away the dolls is what has replace the casting off. It became impracticle to discard the dolls each time when they evlved into elaborate and extremely EXPENSIVE sets. Many families still believe that the bad energies absorbed by the dolls would bring bad luck if not PUT AWAY..

I’ve just heard another interesting Hina Doll related story. My Friend Tokunaga-San has a daughter and displays a set of dolls throughout February. Since he and his wife both work and are still hectically busy when they get home with taking care of the kids and housework, they had no time to put away the dolls by the end of March 3rd (they are not native Ibarakians). In order to spare their daughter bad fortune and ruin her chances of a good marriage they simply turn the dolls the other way in lieu of boxing them up! They will have to wait until Sunday to do that.

Shirozake- a special sweet rice wine for Hina matsuri

Update

The Evolution Of Japan`s Hina Dolls ( Hina Ningyo)- A Brief Look

2010-03-09T08:34:57Z

Hina Doll Set in the Lobby of Tsukuba`s Okura Hotel

If you are interested in Japanese culture, February is a good time to be invited into Japanese homes. Hotel lobbies, community centers and department stores can also be interesting at the same time of year. This is because, traditionally, from early to mid-February through March 3rd, Japanese people take their HINA DOLLS, in all their variety, out of storage, and put them on display. These past few weeks I have seen and photographed a wide spectrum of these popular festive decorations, from enormous and elaborate ( and extremely expensive!) multi-level sets, to tiny, hand-made origami ( folded paper) dolls. Many families have put out more than one set, and then, other Hina Doll decorations, for example hanging scrolls or paintings, as well.

To simply explain what this custom is all about, Japanese friends will tell you that these dolls are meant to celebrate daughters- and represent a prayer for their healthy growth and a happy marriage in the future. They will also probably tell you that these dolls should be PUT AWAY right after the Hina Festival, which is on March 3rd. The reason for this is that there has long been the belief that if a family does not put the dolls away promptly, their daughters will not be able to find a husband.

Hina Dolls on a Hanging Scroll in Tsukuba

The fact is, however, that now, customs are changing. Even families without daughters might display dolls. In families with only sons ( or no children at all ), these are often the mother`s own Hina Dolls brought from her parents home. Then there are those without family who simply like to decorate their apartments with Hina Doll motifs just to get into the spirit of the season.

Interesting Dolls at a home in Matsudo

There are also many families with daughters these days who do NOT follow the custom of promptly putting the dolls away. Either they are too busy to do so, or they just like to keep them out on display. Anyway, they are not worried about the old superstition. Thus, you might find dolls still on display at people homes throughout march. For more on this read my past post: http://blog.alientimes.org/2008/03/tsukubans-in-no-rush-to-pack-up-hina-dolls/ .

What Japanese friends will probably not tell you ( because they might not know!), is about the amazing evolution of this beautiful custom and about how dolls, or figurines have been so important in Japan for millenia as SCAPEGOATS used for taking on the impurities and bad energies of humans.

First lets look at why there is a festival held on March 3rd.

In ancient China, the first DAY OF THE SNAKE of the 3rd month ( in the Chinese calendar there is a 12 day cycle with each day representing an animal of the zodiac) was a day for ritual purification known in Japanese as JOSHI NO SEKKU 上巳の節句　（which is still an alternate name for the Hina Doll festival in Japan).

These symbolic ablutions were performed by a pond or a river, with water and rice wine being used to cleanse the mouth hands and feet.

Hina Doll motif chocolates

The day for performing these rituals eventually changed to the 3rd day of the 3rd month according to the Chinese calendar. This is because for the Chinese, ODD NUMBERS were considered lucky, thus making 3/3 an auspicious day. The 3rd day of the 3rd month became one of the five seasonal change days, called SEKKU ( all on odd numbered days of odd months), which were celebrated ( in China , and later in Japan) with special rituals and foods. These days are the seventh day of the first month ( 1/7), the third day of the third month ( 3/3), the fifth day of the fifth month ( 5/5), the seventh day of the seventh month ( 7/7), and the ninth day of the ninth month ( 9/9)

It became customary on this day ( 3/3) for Chinese aristocrats to hold poetry parties by artificial streams. A bowl would be floated down the stream with a cup of wine . Participants sitting at various points downstream, would have to compose and recite a poem before the bowl reached them. This was an elegant and cultured festival game, played under the peach blossoms which bloomed in April( the month on the Gregorian Calendar which usually corresponds to the 3rd Chinese month).

This is significant because the Japanese Doll Festival is still strongly associated with PEACH BLOSSOMS ( another alternate name for the festival in Japan is the Peach Festival and little peach trees are part of the full doll sets). Strangely, however, since 1873, when the Japanese changed their calendar, the Peach Festival has been celebrated in March ( the new 3rd month), making it fall about one month before the arrival of the actual peach blossoms- see my article:http://blog.alientimes.org/2009/03/where-are-the-real-blossoms-at-peach-festival-time/

HITOGATA figurines at the Nara Culture Center

These Chinese customs were adopted by the aristocracts and noblity of Japan , probably in the Nara Period ( 710-794), when everything Chinese was the rage, and certainly by in the Heian Period ( 794-1185). Thus, each of the seasonal change days ( SEKKU) was recognized and celebrated by the Japanese court.

However, as with so much else which came from China, customs evolved and blended with native Japanese traditions.

Today`s Hina Dolls evolved from HITOGATA such as these

In Japan, the ritual cleansings for the 3rd day of the 3rd month were performed in a typical and very ancient Japanese way- by rubbing the body with human shaped figurines made of paper, straw, clay or wood. These were called KATASHIRO or HITOGATA, and were believed to have the power to absorb all spiritual impurites and bad energies.

Straw figurine used for UNLUCKY YEAR purification ( yakuharai 厄払い)

The Japanese have used figurines in this way for thousands of years. The clay figurines called DOGU, commonly found at JOMON period ( 10,000 BC-300 BC) archaeological sites, are believed to have been used for similar ritual purposes, as surrogates to take on sickness or bad luck before being smashed, to rid the individual or community of these evils.

Paper Hina Dolls at the Okura in Tsukuba

For the purification on the 3rd day of the 3rd month ( the Peach Festival) , however, under the influence of the Chinese poetry recitings by the stream, the KATASHIRO figures were cast off onto rivers or ponds, sending away impurites and bad luck.

DOGU figurine found at a Jomon Period site in Nagano Prefecture

From the literature of the Heian Perod, we also know that there were dolls for play ( not for ritual use), which were called HIINA ( at that time meaning little things), and were a male- female pair. It is possible that these were based on, or derived from the HITOGATA used for ritual purposes. It is the name of these play dolls, in shortened form HINA, which came to be used for the Peach Festival dolls. ( and thus we can see a blending of the two streams- the ritual dolls and the play dolls).

(It is very important to keep in mind that at this early stage, the Peach Festival, the day for ritual cleansings with the HITOGATA was NOT yet thought of as GIRLS DAY, and the ceremony was carried out for both sexes.

No one is exactly sure when, but probably in the Edo Period, the seasonal change day on the 3rd day of the third month became associated with girls, while that of the 5th day of the fifth month became so for boys.

The rationalization for doing this can be seen in GORO AWASE ( association by similarity in shape or sound) which is so important in Japanese culture.

Simply stated the JOーSHI of JOーSHI NO SEKKU( First Day of the Snake, the original name of thr festival) was similar in sound to the word　JOSHI 女子, which means female, while the SHOBU of SHOBU NO SEKKU ( which is a plant,calamis, used for ritual ablutions on the 5th day of the fifth month) is a homophone for sho-bu 勝負, which means TO BATTLE, which was associated with boys of the samurai class.)

The ritual dolls themselves then came to be more decorative, dressed in kimono etc., and children would sleep with them the night before they were cast off ( letting impurities be drawn out overnight!).

Nagashi-Bina dolls floating away on a stream

By the Muromachi Period ( 1336-1573) beautiful Hina Dolls were being made for the aristocracy using new techniques imported from China. They were posed in a standing position ( Tachi-Bina)

Tachi-Bina in Tsukuba

It was only later, in the Edo Period ( 1600-1868), that Japan`s craftmen created the elaborate Hina Dolls, which we know today, for a growing merchant class which could afford them, as well as for the warrior class and the aristocracy. There were special doll markets held in Edo, at the end of the 2nd month. The competition between families vying for the most exquisite dolls led the Shogunate to issue order for restraint and modesty during the festival.

Still throughut the Edo Peiod Hina Dolls were mostly sold and displayed in Edo (Tokyo), and other major cultual and commercial centers.

It was not until the Meiji Period ( beginning in 1868) that the custom of displaying Hina Dolls became universal throughout Japan.

Even with the creation of the elaborate sets, which represented an Imperial wedding procession, the Japanese believed that each years impurities were absorbed by the dolls.

Interestingly, the custom of putting away the dolls right after the festival, is probably a replacement for the casting dolls off into the rivers. Naturally, the expensive sets could not be thrown away each year.

For more on these dolls read my past articles:

http://blog.alientimes.org/2009/02/hina-dolls-coming-out-of-the-closet-in-the-literal-sense/

and

http://blog.alientimes.org/2009/02/makabe-all-dolled-up-until-march-3rd/

Celebrating Soba ! Making Noodles, Dumplings and Cakes- all out of Ibaraki`s famed buckwheat!

2010-02-28T10:59:21Z

Shiina-San all set to go!

I had heard it said, more than once, that in Japan, THE BEST soba (buckwheat) noodles were to be had NOT at famous restaurants, but at the homes ( or at the hands) of experienced, soba-loving AMATEUR noodle-makers.

This is good news for those of us who live in Tsukuba City, since our Prefecture, Ibaraki, is SOBA COUNTRY, where a delicious variety of buckwheat ( Hitachi no Aki Soba) is abundantly produced, and where it is very common for THE MEN of the family (soba making requires a lot of muscle!) to be skilled soba noodle makers, who love to share the fruits of their labor with neighbors and friends.

Of course, some of these soba-makers are more serious than others. That is why my eyes lit up ( and my mouth began to water) when my friend Mr. Shiina suggested that he show me how the noodles were made. I knew that these noodles would be something special. Shiina-San is a real buckwheat afficionado, whose sister actually grows the grain up on a farm in Hitachi Ohta ( in central Ibaraki), and who is a member of a soba making circle which meets regularly for making soba noodles from scratch. I probably dont have to mention, that without hesitation I said -” Good idea ! !”

Though I knew at that moment that I was going to have a great soba experience, I could not imagine what was actually in store. Not only the best buckwheat noodles Ive ever had, made from freshly milled flour, but the additional treat of soba prepared in the MUCH more ancient way- as dumplings ( soba-gaki), and also in a novel form- as a tasty cake made of soba flour and sweet azuki beans ( anko). Even the dipping sauce for the noodles was home-made, and all the vegetables from the participants gardens.

I would like to share the experience ( and the recipes) with you, as I think that you might be able to learn a few things about Japanese culture from the story ( I certainly learned alot!)

Blending the flours

In Japan, people take their hobbies seriously and as a rule prepare all the besｔ equipment they will need even before they get underway in their lessons. This often involves great expense. That is why you will more often than not find Japanese skiiers, scuba-divers, fishermen, bird-watchers etc., enthusiasts in any activity really, decked out in the best appropriate wear and with the best equipment and gear.

That is why I was not surprised to find that Mr. Shiina, and the other soba makers who gathered at the Oho Community Center`s kitchen, had brought with them an array of special tools, and proceeded to wrap towels around their brows giving them that authentic soba-maker look.

Kneading the dough

Another important feature of Japanese culture which was in evidence during this event was the UNIQUE INTENSITY OF FOCUS and ENERGY which I have so often encountered here.The first time I noticed this phenomenon, was at my first tea ceremony, years ago. The woman who was preparing my tea was going through the ritual, which on paper should have been quite boring ( all the fuss for a little tea). However, her deep concentration and focus somehow filled the atmosphere with electricity. A shiver actually ran up my spine as she slowly wiped the tea container with her cloth. Since then I have often found that same special GAZE and focus , even in the most unlikely places and situations- cherry blossom viewing time, funerals or pubs ( Japanese bartenders pouring beers!) I have often even found the old farmers hired to tend the bushes and weeds to sometimes be so deep in focus that they dont notice you walk by( thought some would say they just dont want to have to say hello!)

Flattening the dough

Mr. Shiina showed the same focus and intensity, as he little by little, slowly slowly, blended the buckwheat flour and wheat flour ( we were having NI HACHI SOBA- which literally means 2-8 soba. 20 percent wheat flour and 80 percent buckwheat). He continued in the same way to blend in the water, even so slowly and carefully, to form the dough ( the water would end up comprising about 40 percent this). Kneading a large ball required plenty of effort and it was at this time that I realized why the towel was so important- to keep the sweat from dripping into the bowl!

When he was satisfied with the condition of the dough, Shiina-San started to roll it out .

Rolling out the dough

When the proper thinness was achieved, slicing was begun.

Cutting out noodles

It was then we got the pots boiling. After dumping a lump of soba ( one servinging) into the bubbling water, it was boiled for 20 seconds after it rose up to the top.

Soba noodles ready to be boiled

At the same time we started to make soba-gaki ( buckwheat dumplings). This was extremely simple, great fun and rewarding to the tastebuds.

We merely had to mix in hot water, again little by little, into a pot of plain buckwheat flour and stirred. We did this till we got the right consistency.

To eat we just spooned out the paste and molded out dumplings with our hands. we dipped this in soy sauce and wasabi. Rustically delicious!

e VOILA

As I have already, said the resulting meal included the BEST soba I had ever had- BY FAR! Not only because of the fresh ingredients and skillful preparation. Not only because our appetities had grown strong after all the hard work and long wait before eating. What made it so very extra special was something which is another key characteristic of Japanese culture and life in Japan in general- everyone loves FOOD, and EATING is always a joyous occassion, especially when everyone helps out in the preparation.

It was truly a SOBA CELEBRATION!

Hot water and buckwheat flour for soba dumplings ( sobagaki)

Sobagaki

I have written more on soba as a food and plant:

http://blog.alientimes.org/2009/10/ibarakis-rolling-fields-of-buckwheat-%E8%95%8E%E9%BA%A6%E7%95%91-almost-ready-for-harvesting/

http://blog.alientimes.org/2009/12/toshikoshi-soba-%e5%b9%b4%e8%b6%8a%e3%81%97%e3%81%9d%e3%81%b0-why/

RECIPE FOR SOBA DIPPING SAUCE ( tsuyu)

Ingredients:

100 cc sweet rice wine ( mirin)

100 cc soy sauce

500 cc water

200 grams dried bonito flakes ( katsuo bushi)

3 grams brown rock sugar

Process

Boil the mirin to remove the alcohol ( 1-2 minutes)

Add water and soy sauce and continue boiling for another 1-2 minutes.

Add the bonito flakes and the sugar

strain

This keeps in the fridge for up to ten days. You can also freeze it and defrost it whenever needed.

ECIPE FOR SOBA AND SWEET BEAN CAKE

Ingredients:

Half a cup of buckwheat

One 200 gram can of azuki beans

Process:

Mix together

Spread on sheet of plastic wrap

Roll ( like a sushi roll)

microwave at 600 watts for 2 minutes

In the Tsukuba Area, Misopi 味噌ピー (roasted peanuts basted in miso ), Is a Traditional O-Kazu ( accompaniment to rice)- not just a snack

2010-02-26T01:00:54Z

Harumi Takaya`s Misopi

Born and raised in the U.S., I grew up eating lots of peanuts. Sometimes I would crack them out of their shells, but more often I got them out of cans, jars and packets, dry roasted, or roasted in oil and salted. No matter the container or method of preparation, once you started on them it was nearly impossible to stop. They were also an ingredient in a dozen different candybars and other snacks that I used to love.

But the way I MOST OFTEN consumed peanuts was in the form of peanut butter. Coming back from school, I would head right for the kitchen and open a jar of the stuff, preferably the chunky kind. I would spoon it by the heapful onto bagels, bananas, apples, carrots, chocolate bars or just directly into my mouth. I would always make sure to give some to my dog, who seemed to love it , too. It was always amusing to see how she struggled to clear it off her long canine tongue , extending it out far and then pulling it back into her mouth repeatedly, scraping the sticky paste off against her lips.

Besides use as a snack, peanut butter actually becomes the CENTERPIECE of the meal in that classic of American culinary culture- the peanut butter and jelly sandwich. A standard feature of the schoolchilds lunchbox or family`s picnic basket.

Japanese people usually grimace in disgust when I mention these sandwiches, but when I think about it- what a magical combination- with the loose and slippery jam being the perfect foil to the thick and sticky peanut butter,. Imagining it still gets my mouth to water.

Arriving in Japan, I found that the area that I had had come to live, Tsukuba City in Ibaraki Prefecture, was the major peanut ( rakase 落花生) producing region in the country ( with neighboring Chiba Prefecture actually being the no. 1 grower). The many delicious snacks which employ peanuts in novel ( for me) and exciting ways, might even be one of the reasons that I enjoyed living ( and eating) here so much, at first, and why my waistline expanded so rapidly.

One thing that really surprised me, though, was to discover that for the families whose parents have lived in Tsukuba fo generations, peanuts could be served as the O-Kazu, that is the main accompaniment to the rice, and thus the centerpiece of the meal,and not just a snack.

This dish is called misopi- (味噌ピー), and it is popular throughout this region. It is only in the Tsukuba area , however, that it often becomes the main course.

Yesterday, I was at pot-luck lunch party. One of the guests, Harumi Takaya, brought misopi which she had made using her mothers recipe. It was impossibly delicious, and I had to use all my will power to keep myself from eating the whole thing.

Harumi says that her family eats this dish twice a week and that often when she was a school girl, her lunchbox contained just rice and misopi.

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

200 grams raw peanuts ( you can get them at JA shops in Tsukuba)

1 tablespoon miso paste

1 tablespoon mirin ( sweet rice wine)

1 teaspoon granulated brown sugar

How to make:

Roast the peanuts in a frying pan over a low- medium flame for fifteen minutes

Remove from frying pan and spead out on a dish

Mix the miso paste and mirin thoroughly and spred over the peanuts

Let cool

Sprinkle sugar to taste ( this will cling to the peanuts which will have become very sticky)

Serve on rice ( as they do in Tsukuba)

or eat as a snack

You be very surprised at the deep flavor which this simple process will bring out.

As alternatives in preparation process, the peanuts could be fried in oil, and honey used instead of, or in addition to the sugar.

Enjoy

A closer look

Check hear for some commercially available misopi products:

http://www.hinodemiso.co.jp/misop/story.html