Hello! I am Madoka.
Thank you for coming on this page.
I am very happy to have this chance to inform you about Japan.
My English and sentences probably be wrong, please be fast and loose. ( ^v^)/
And I appreciate you for giving the opportunity of my English practice.
Today I will introduce about Japanese culture on January7, Eating “Nana Kusa Gayu”.
The table of contents
1, What is “Nana Kusa Gayu”?
2, What is the significant of eating “Nana Kusa Gayu”?
3, The introduction of “Nana kusa“(seven herbs)
1, What is “Nana Kusa Gayu”?
It is a seven herb rice porridge.
“Nana” is 7 in English.
“Kusa” is a grass, but herb is better for this word.
“Gayu” is a rice porridge.
Seven herbs are water dropwort, shepherd’s purse, cudweed, chickweed, henbit, turnip and daikon radish.
Japanese traditionally eat ”Nana Kusa Gayu” in the morning of the 7th of January .
And there is s cutting rule for 7 herbs when you cook “Nana Kusa Gayu”.
Please chop each herb seven times. It is a magic spell for good luck.
2, What is the significant of eating “Nana Kusa Gayu”?
In China, they ate a soup with 7 herbs because of a wish for their promotion in the Tang Dynasty period.
The custom was introduced from China in Heian Era(about 1200 years ago).
Then to eat “Nana Kusa Gayu” was established in Edo era ( about 400 years ago)
Now we prey for our good health for a year while eating “Nana Kusa Gayu”..
It is believed that it is effective to rest our stomach after eating too much festive feast and to take vitamins and minerals from herbs.
( In the old day, it was difficult to get vegetables in cold winter.)
3, The introduction of “Nana Kusa (seven herbs)”
“Seri”
It is a water dropwort.
“Nazuna”
It is a shepherd’s purse.
“Kogyo(Hahakogusa)”
It is a cudweed.
“Hakobera(Hakobe)”
It is a chickweed.
“Hotokenoza”
It is a henbit.
“Suzuna(Kabu)”
It is a turnip.
“Suzushiro(Daikon)”
It is a daikon radish.
You can buy a set of “Nana Kusa” in super market near January 7.
Would you like to cook “Nana Kusa Gayu” ?
Thank you for reading until the end.
Have a good day !
Madoka
