Dig Japan vol.11 “Chimaki (ちまき)”

Chimaki (ちまき) is generally mochi made from glutinous rice, non-glutinous rice, rice flour, or just glutinous rice formed into a triangle or cone shape, wrapped in bamboo leaves, and tied with rushes. After steaming or boiling it, the leaves can be peeled and eaten. The contents of chimaki wrapped in leaves vary depending on the region, and in eastern and northern Japan it is often okowa, while in western Japan it is often dango. It was introduced from China during the Nara period as part of the Boy's Festival customs, and today it is being offered and enjoyed at “Tango no Sekku” (the Boys' Festival), along with kashiwa-mochi (柏餅).

Chimaki (Photography by 𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐨)

Chimaki is characterized by the style of wrapping it in bamboo leaves. The contents wrapped in leaves vary depending on the region. Specifically, from Hokkaido to Kanto-Koshinetsu and some parts of Kyushu tend to okowa, while from Tokai to Kyushu they tend to dango. There are a wide variety of ingredients for okowa, including pork, chicken, and fatty tuna. In addition to bamboo, leaves such as pampas grass, reed, horse chestnut, and Japanese oak may also be used.

Chimaki was introduced to Japan from China during the Nara period as part of “Tango no Sekku (端午の節句)” custom. In the “Wamyo Ruijusho (倭名類聚鈔)” compiled during the Johei era (931 - 938), there is chimaki under the name “Wamyo Chimaki (和名知萬木),” which describes a method of wrapping glutinous rice in plant leaves and boiling it in lye. It was originally a preserved food that utilized the sterilizing and preservative properties of lye. After that, improvements and simplifications were made in various places, and in Kyoto, unique versions such as wrapping azuki bean paste inside mochi or replacing mochi with kuzu-mochi emerged. According to “The Tales of Ise,” iris leaves were also used in the past.

A wagashi confectioner, Sentaro's showcase (Photography by 𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐨)

During the Muromachi and Azuchi-Momoyama periods, chimaki was also used as a portable meal by samurai. In the Edo period, the shogunate designated “Tango no Sekku” (May 5th) as one of the five festivals, and chimaki became popular among the masses as an ceremonial food. In “Naniwa Suzume (難波雀)” published in March 1679, the word “Chimakiya (ちまき屋)” are recognized, indicating that there was a shop selling chimaki. It is still a popular ceremonial food eaten during the Boy's Festival, along with kashiwa-mochi, which is also a rice cake wrapped in leaves. White dango chimaki took root in the Kinki region, where Heijo Palace is located, but this was not the case in the Kanto region, so kashiwa-mochi is often eaten during Boy's Festival.

This article was written by 𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐨, working as a freelance translator and press for overseas apparel brands in Japan, with the purpose of broadening her insight into the Japanese traditional culture.