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KOME RYORI
Gohan (rice)
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For the Japanese rice is not just a foodstuff. Rice is a very important part of the culture of Japanese people. The important holidays are connected with the rice harvest in Japan. Both character of music and character of dances (bon-odori) reflect what harvest has been in these holidays. If the harvest has been good the dances express pleasure and gratitude to gods, and sounds of a flute and a drum transfer this pleasure.
The presence of symbols in traditional sumo fight, connected with rice, is a visual proof of the penetration of rice into the Japanese society alongside with festivals. The thick rope plaited from the rice straw outlines the arena of sumo fighters. And sumo fighters do specific movements with their legs, which symbolize trampling ground on a rice field.
The rice is prepared in a special way on field days, like birth or wedding-day or funeral. White rice with salt is served during funerals. And the red rice, sprinkled with salt and sesame seeds, is served on a festive occasions, like graduating from school.
The preparation of rice cakes, called mochi, for New Year's party is the most symbolical display of the exclusive place of rice in the Japanese's life. The boiled rice is pounded with heavy wooden mallets up to that condition when it turns into a sticky pastry on the eve of New Year. They make rice cakes out of this pastry, which is called mochi. They either fry or boil these cakes and eat it during first three days of New Year. Actually mochi cakes are the main meal within these days.
Besides, they make pyramid out of 3 round-shaped mochi, which is called "Kagami mochi". This pyramid with a mandarin on the top is placed in the main room in the house, on the 1st of January.
They offer it to the gods. The pyramid "Kagami mochi" is divided into separate pieces. These pieces are dipped into warm sweet soup, which is called (oshiruko). The given treating symbolizes adjusting to the god's meals and blessing those who has eaten it.
The divine judgment of the rice for each Japanese is supplemented with understanding it as the main daily foodstuff. Onigiri is the most symbolical form of consumption of rice in the given sense. These are rice balls wrapped by sea kale and having either salty plum or something else inside. Onigiri is often taken for picnic. This is the main meal during journeys. People eat onigiri when want to have a snack. It is tasty, nutritious and convenient.
List of gohan dishes:
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