🍡MOREISH MITARASHI😋
August 3rd was the beginning of a three-day period celebrating mitarashi dango (みたらし団子)!🎉
Actually, this happens every month from the 3rd-5th because...
3= 'MI' (み)
4= 'taraSHI' (たらし)
5= 'danGO' (だんご)
Tenuous wordplay? Yes.
Fun? Also, yes.
#Japan #Kyoto #京都 #mitarashidango #みたらし団子 #dango #団子 #sweets
In its traditional form, mitarashi dango is made up of 5 small rice dumplings...skewered, grilled, and served with a sweet soy sauce glaze.
Legend has it that the inspiration for the snack came from a miraculous incident involving Emperor Go-Daigo (後醍醐天皇 1288-1339).
During one of Emperor Go-Daigo's outings to Shimogamo-jinja (下鴨神社), 5 bubbles appeared in the water as he purified his hands.
Interpreted as the human body (五体-head, arms and legs), it was taken as a fortuitous sign.
The emperor offered 5 rice dumplings (4 big and 1 small) to the shrine gods.
What we know as mitarashi dango originated at the Kamo Mitarashi Chaya 'Tea House' (加茂みたらし茶屋), situated to the west of the shrine grounds.
It became tradition at Shimogamo-jinja to symbolically offer dumplings to the gods before eating them for luck.
The Kamo Mitarashi Chaya was established in 1922, and it's astonishing to think how young mitarashi dango are!
The shop highlights the inspiration for the dango by serving one slightly apart (just how Emperor Go-Daigo saw the bubbles).
Nao-san visited Ishiyama-dera (石山寺) last autumn with one snack in mind...fried mitarashi dango (揚げみたらし 'age mitarashi').
A small store just outside the main gate specializes in this delicious (but a little less-than-healthy) sweet🍡
#揚げみたらし #mitarashidango #Japan #Shiga #滋賀県 #Ishiyamadera #石山寺
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