It's customary to eat minatsuki (水無月) on this day.
The sweets, which were designed to mimic slices of ice, are made from 'uirō-mochi' (外郎餠), and are traditionally topped with a layer of red beans.
Symbolism of minatsuki (水無月)...
⚪️🌨️White/clear uirō-mochi (外郎餠) = freshly fallen snow.
🫘🏥Azuki beans = red is an auspicious colour said to ward off evil (especially important in summer when disease spreads easily).
📐🧊Triangular shape = brings to mind ice and cools the body.
Minatsuki and minazuki (水無月) are made from 'uirō-mochi' (外郎餠), a steamed cake of rice or bracken flour and sugar.
The sweets are traditionally topped with a layer of red beans, cut into triangles, and wrapped in bamboo leaves.
Minatsuki/minazuki (水無月) are made from 'uirō-mochi' (外郎餠), a steamed cake of rice or bracken flour and sugar.
The sweets are traditionally topped with a layer of red beans, cut into triangles, and wrapped in bamboo leaves.
🧊A SLICE OF ICE📐
One sweet that arrives just in time for the fierce summer heat is 'minatsuki' (水無月 aka 'minazuki').
Like many of Kyōto's mid-year confections, minatsuki are not themselves cooling, but were designed to turn our thoughts to ice and shade.
Camellia Tea Ceremony