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Japanese food

Japanese cuisine or Washoku has recently been designated an Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO, and in this Japanese teachers' blog we introduce some personal stories by professional Japanese teachers about their views of Japanese food culture.

Japanese mochi sweets

There are many traditional sweets in Japan. But one of the most popular is Mochi which is a type of Japanese rice cake made of mochigome.

Mochigome is a special kind of rice that becomes sticky when cooked. It is often used to make sweet food.

In this blog for Japanese learners, Japanese teacher Maki Igarashi, she introduces a standard spring sweet which is made from Mochigome. And also, she questions how to eat it properly.

Listen to Igarashi sensei reading this fun spring topic blog. You can listen to fluent Japanese and also learn new vocabulary.

桜餅の葉ってどうするの?
What do you do with the leaves in a Sakura Mochi rice cake?

igarashi

By IGARASHI Maki

sakuramochi1

 桜餅といえば、春の定番の日本のおやつです。 甘いあんこを桜色のおもちで包み、塩漬けした桜の葉を巻いたものを、桜餅と呼びます。 見た目はとてもかわいいですし、あんこの甘さと桜の葉の軽い塩気がなんとも絶妙なのですが、 この葉っぱは食べてもいいのでしょうか。

 葉っぱも一緒に食べてみると、葉のが気になる時もありますし、かといって葉っぱは食べずに残そうと思うと、お餅にくっついて上手く取れなかったりする時もあります。 どちらが正解なのか意見が分かれるところですが、実は正解はありません。 桜餅を作っている人は、「食べたければ食べ、食べたくなければ残しましょう。」と言っています。 それぞれが好きなように食べるのが、一番美味しい桜餅の食べ方なのです。 ちなみに私は葉っぱも一緒に食べるですが、筋があったら残します。 あなたは食べる派?食べない派? レッスンでお会いしたら是非教えてくださいね。

sakuramochi2

To listen to this blog, please watch our Youtube video.

桜餅(さくらもち)の葉(は)ってどうするの?

 桜餅(さくらもち)といえば、春(はる)の定番(ていばん)の日本(にほん)のおやつです。 甘(あま)いあんこを桜色(さくらいろ)のおもちで包(つつ)み、塩漬(しおづ)けした桜(さくら)の葉(は)を巻(ま)いたものを、桜餅(さくらもち)と呼(よ)びます。 見(み)た目(め)はとてもかわいいですし、あんこの甘(あま)さと桜(さくら)の葉(は)の軽(かる)い塩気(しおけ)がなんとも絶妙(ぜつみょう)なのですが、この葉(は)っぱは食(た)べてもいいのでしょうか。

 葉(は)っぱも一緒(いっしょ)に食(た)べてみると、葉(は)の筋(すじ)が気(き)になる時(とき)もありますし、かといって葉(は)っぱは食(た)べずに残(のこ)そうと思(おも)うと、お餅(もち)にくっついて上手(うま)く取(と)れなかったりする時(とき)もあります。 どちらが正解(せいかい)なのか意見(いけん)が分(わ)かれるところですが、実(じつ)は正解(せいかい)はありません。 桜餅(さくらもち)を作(つく)っている人(ひと)は、「食(た)べたければ食(た)べ、食(た)べたくなければ残(のこ)しましょう。」と言(い)っています。 それぞれが好(す)きなように食(た)べるのが、一番(いちばん)美味(おい)しい桜餅(さくらもち)の食(た)べ方(かた)なのです。 ちなみに私(わたし)は葉(は)っぱも一緒(いっしょ)に食(た)べる派(は)ですが、筋(すじ)があったら残(のこ)します。 あなたは食(た)べる派(は)?食(た)べない派(は)? レッスンでお会(あ)いしたら是非(ぜひ)教(おし)えてくださいね。

What do you do with the leaves in a Sakura Mochi rice cake?

'Sakura mochi' rice cake is one of the standard sweets during Japan's spring season. Sweet bean paste enveloped in cherry blossom colored mochi rice, which is wrapped in cherry blossom leaves that are pickled in salt is the makeup of the sweet that we call 'Sakura Mochi'. It looks really cute and the balance between the sweetness of the sweet bean Anko paste and the lightly salted flavor of the sakura leaves is exquisite. But is it ok to eat these leaves or not?

If you do eat the sweet along with the leaves, then there are times when you feel that the veins of the leaves are in the way, but if try to eat it leaving the leaves uneaten, sometimes they are stuck to the mochi rice and you cannot peel them off well. Which is the correct answer is split between the two different opinions but actually there is no correct answer. The people who make the sakura mochi rice cakes say that, “if you want to eat the leaves, go ahead, if you don't want to, then leave them”. The way that each person likes to eat their sakura mochi is most delicious way to eat it, Incidentally, I'm a member of the 'eat it with the leaves' faction, but if it has veins, I don't eat that bit. Which faction do you belong to? Do you eat the leaves? Do you eat it without the leaves? Let me know your answer when we meet in the lessons.

定番(ていばん): standard; regular; basic; staple

絶妙(ぜつみょう): superb; exquisite

筋(すじ): vein; fiber; string

正解(せいかい): the [a] right [correct] answer

派(は): group; faction; school

igarashi

Hajimemashite, everyone . My name is Maki Igarashi.
Although I'm originally from Hokkaido, I live in Hiroshima because of my husband's work transfer. Hokkaido is the northernmost island of Japan. Winter is very cold and snowy, but Hokkaido's natural scenery is very beautiful, and we have a lot of delicious food. Here in Hiroshima, on Miya-jima Island, you can see Itsukushima Shrine, a world cultural heritage site. If you come to Japan, please visit these great places.

I'd like to see you smile at least once in every class. The lessons will be, well, fun! Prepare well, and review well! :o)
Don't get caught up thinking Japanese is a difficult language, enjoy studying and learning !

Try to use your newly learned vocabulary and phrases all the time in the lessons. Looking forward to meeting you all in class !

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