Enjoying the cherry blossoms in Nara.

Ohagi for tea time.

A perfectly smooth botamochi.

Enjoying the cherry blossoms in Nara.

Botamochi (牡丹餅) feature in a lovely little proverb (ことわざ 'kotowaza').

'Tana kara botamochi' (棚からぼたもち), lit. 'a botamochi falls down from the shelf'.

It means to 'receive a windfall' or get 'a lucky break'.

#Japan #autumn #botamochi #牡丹餅 #Kyoto #CamelliaKyoto

Todai-ji's great statue of Binzuru. Worshippers rub the part of the statue that mirrors where they themselves have sickness or pain...they then pray for help.

Ohagi (sticky balls of rice covered in bean jam).

Harvested rice bundled and hung up to dry.

Worshipers pour water over a Buddhist statue as a form of prayer.

As offerings, it is said that botamochi were made as a prayer for fertility (and a successful growing season) and ohagi in thanks for the harvest🌾

Long held to be an auspicious colour, the deep-red of the cakes was believed to console ancestral spirits and offer protection🙏

#ohagi #botamochi

A twist on the usual ohagi (sticky balls of rice covered in red bean jam) for spring. The bottom right is a typical ohagi, but to the left of it is a pink sakura flavored version, and above these one covered in kinako (roasted soy flour).

Cherry blossoms at Ninna-ji.

Red maple leaves at Yoshida-jinja.

A twist on the usual ohagi (sticky balls of rice covered in red bean jam) for spring. The bottom right is a typical ohagi, but to the left of it is a pink sakura flavored version, and above these one covered in kinako (roasted soy flour).

🌸FOOD FOR THE EQUINOX🍂
Food plays an important roll at Higan (彼岸).

On the first and last day of the equinoctial week, rice dumplings (団子 'dango') are offered at the family altar. Rice cakes covered in bean jam (botamochi in spring and ohagi in fall) are presented mid-week.

#ohagi #botamochi #おはぎ

Admiring the cherry blossoms in Nara.

Nowadays ohagi and botamochi can be eaten throughout the year, and less distinction is put on them being a spring or autumn sweet.

A smooth round botamochi.

A deer on the prowl for snacks.

Botamochi (牡丹餅) feature in a lovely little proverb (ことわざ 'kotowaza').

'Tana kara botamochi' (棚からぼたもち), lit. 'a botamochi falls down from the shelf'.

It means to 'receive a windfall' or get 'a lucky break'.

#Japan #autumn #botamochi #牡丹餅 #Kyoto #CamelliaKyoto

Botamochi and ohagi are very similar sweets...one uses smooth bean paste, and the other a rougher red bean jam.

Enjoying a summer themed ohagi and other sweets beside the cool Otawa-no-taki waterfall.

A variety of ohagi...plain, kinako (roasted soy flour), and sesame. Photo thanks🙇‍♂️-http://tokino-mori.jp/season/ohagi/

A glimpse inside botamochi...you can see the sticky rice cake within.

Botamochi (牡丹餅) and ohagi (おはぎ) are popular during the equinoctial weeks, when they are made as sacred offerings and enjoyed as tasty snacks.

Glutinous rice is soaked, cooked and formed into a ball. Around this ball a thick sweet bean paste is packed on.

#ohagi #botamochi #Japan #sweets #equinox

Hi!
I'm a #DeidaraBotchi.

This time I was able to buy #Botamochi!

From left to right: #KoshiAn (meaning 'Strained sweet Red bean paste'), #Zunda (meaning 'Sweetened mashed green soybean paste') and #Kinako (meaning 'Roasted soybean flour')🤤

#Japan #日本
#Nuidori #ぬい撮り
#WoolFelt #NeedleFelt

Hi!
I'm a #DeidaraBotchi.

Today is the #VernalEquinoxDay in Japan🌸

It's a custom to eat a Japanese sweet called #Botamochi...
Unfortunately, a nearby #Mochi (meaning #RiceCake ) shop was out of Botamochi!

So I had ' #SakuraMochi ' instead.

#春分の日 #ぼたもち #桜もち

#Japan
#Nuidori
#WoolFelt #NeedleFelt