, also known as , is a type of soft confectionery made of pounded glutinous rice and eaten in

Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan. It consists of three main island groups—the Okinawa Islands, the Sakishima Islands, and the Daitō Islands—spread across a maritime zone approximately 1,000 kilometers east to west an ...

. Muchi means "rice cake" in the

Okinawan language Okinawan (, , , ), or more precisely Central Okinawan, is a Northern Ryukyuan languages, Ryukyuan language spoken primarily in the southern half of the Okinawa Island, island of Okinawa, as well as in the surrounding islands of Kerama Islands, K ...

, sometimes called "Casa Muchi" from the fact that it is wrapped in the leaves of

shell ginger ''Alpinia zerumbet'', commonly known as shell ginger among other names, is a perennial species of ginger native to East Asia. The plants can grow up to tall and bear colorful funnel-shaped flowers. They are grown as ornamentals and their leave ...

. After the muchi is seasoned with brown sugar, white sugar, purple yam and so on, it is wrapped and steamed. In December, it is eaten as a lucky charm for the prayer of health and longevity. Also, from the end of January to early February of the Gregorian calendar is the coldest season in Okinawa, and it is called “Muchibisa” over this period in Okinawan. “Families will prepare Muchi together, making dozens of individual ones called Kassa Muchi, and may even make a huge one, called Chikara Muchi, and eat the big one together. The Muchi treats are tied up in string and hung from the ceiling as pretty decorations in the house." The origin of the "Onimochi" is from a folktale of the main island of Okinawa. It was written about 800 years ago in “Kyuuyo”, which was compiled in the 18th century at the time of Nao Takashi reign."Onimochi" Okinawa City. Okinawa City. 2002. Web. May 1, 2016. It states that a man who moved from Shuri city to Osato city was attacking humans and animals and became a demon known as an "oni". His younger sister was sorrowful and put iron nails in Muchi, which the man loved and fed. Then, she pushed away the brother, who was weakened, to the sea and killed him. From this Okinawan tale, it is also called “Onimochi” because Muchi was used to exterminate the oni.

References

{{Reflist Okinawan cuisine Glutinous rice dishes Japanese rice dishes Japanese confectionery Rice cakes

See also

References