In Tsukuba, as the days get longer,here and there,slim shafts of greenery begin pushing up out from the snowless,brown, gray and straw-colored winterscape, giving us relieved assurance that once again, spring has come.It is in this time of year that many Japanese can be seen scouring the roadside, field edges or riverbank, as if looking for a lost object.
In fact, they are in search of yomogi(蓬), a wild herb which is gathered to make this season`s sweet - kusamochi(草餅), a distinctly green hued(perfect for St Paddy`s Day!) mochi-rice cake, sometimes filled with anko-sweet bean paste, or covered with kinako-soy bean powder.
Since yomogi(mugwort in English, though that word does NOT sound very appetizing), becomes inediblly tough quite soon after sprouting up, it has to be gathered when still very small ,young and fresh.
(I remember doing this years ago, for the first time, in the field behind the Tsukuba Central Police Station!)The herb is then boiled to make it less bitter, and then mixed into mochi(pounded rice cakes) and molded into small roundish patties.
This gives the mochi a slightly bitter and grassy taste.
It is because of this flavor that the custom began in the first place in ancient China,
where bitter grasses were believed to be effective in expelling
impurities and evil spirits. This notion was imported to Japan in the Heian Period(794-1192)
though a different type of herb was the most common ingredient(母子草 hahakogusa or gogyou).
It was only in the Edo Period (1601-1868)the yomogi became the commonly used ingredient.Yomogi is also an important component og the heated acupuncture called moxabustion. This English term derives from the Japanese word mogusa, which is the dried
mugwort used for this traditional medical treatment.
These days kusamochi is also available at most convenient stores in this season and can of course be found at wagashiya(Japanese sweet shops).
I had one today. Why dont you enjoy the season and the tradition and try it for yourself!
Avi Landau
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