20000111kagami

Japanese

January 11, 2000: Kagami-biraki(open a mirror);　　　　by Mie

　　

Today, we "opened a mirror." Actually, we brought back rice cakes and a straw ornament, which have been offered, to God during the New Year. We set them in the last year-end with the help of Miss Lillian from Hong Kong. The shape of the rice cakes is round just like a mirror (Kagami) in ancient day's Japan. It represents harmony and to "open" is related to " become more and more prosperous" in future. Now the New Year atmosphere was over.

　　

The rice cakes have become very solid after two weeks offering. The cakes need to be broken down to pieces for cooking, but a knife must not cut them. This is because the word "cut" is a word considered to be unlucky, and they should be separated into pieces by hand. So my husband has no other choice than breaking them with a driver blade and a hammer following an old way.

In the evening, I simmered Adzuki beans down for making Zenzai, a sweet drink with rice cakes in it.

... and browned the rice cakes on a mesh.

Here, sweet Zenzai is ready to serve. I ate it together with my husband wishing our health for a year from now on.

Mie　Home

January 11, 2000: Kagami-biraki(open a mirror);　　　　by Mie
Today, we "opened a mirror." Actually, we brought back rice cakes and a straw ornament, which have been offered, to God during the New Year. We set them in the last year-end with the help of Miss Lillian from Hong Kong. The shape of the rice cakes is round just like a mirror (Kagami) in ancient day's Japan. It represents harmony and to "open" is related to " become more and more prosperous" in future. Now the New Year atmosphere was over.
The rice cakes have become very solid after two weeks offering. The cakes need to be broken down to pieces for cooking, but a knife must not cut them. This is because the word "cut" is a word considered to be unlucky, and they should be separated into pieces by hand. So my husband has no other choice than breaking them with a driver blade and a hammer following an old way.
	In the evening, I simmered Adzuki beans down for making Zenzai, a sweet drink with rice cakes in it.
... and browned the rice cakes on a mesh.
	Here, sweet Zenzai is ready to serve. I ate it together with my husband wishing our health for a year from now on.