Scent of spring
- January 27-2017
- Chikako Takemoto
- Kyoto,Nature,Outdoor life,Travel
This week, last week too, were severely cold throughout Japan.
I realized living in the old house is tough tough tough in winter. Of course I prepared to fill the gap of windows and doors by a gap tape. However this seems not be enough..
I wear a long coat and gloves inside the house. They are definitely necessary.
But, on the other hand, I enjoyed a winter event particularly held only in January.
Have you ever eaten Japanese mochi? All generation of Japanese love them.
In my local community, mochi party is annually held in the ground of a local primary school. Mochi rice is steamed by firewoods outside and beaten and pounded by a big pole. Mochi rice transforms into a very soft and smooth texture of mochi.
After that, mochi is cooked for a various kind of dishes such as with red bean pastes, with kinako powder or with shoyu.
Not only mochi eating but also meeting with people living in a same community is thought to be important and useful in a case of emergency as well.
By the way, I found cute flower petals are already in bloom while taking a walk around an Imperial Palace park this morning.
They are named Robai(蝋梅) in Japanese due to the wax texture of their petal. I love their elegant scent. I feel spring is coming.
