All Holiday Cafe

Japan’s Festival of Seven Herbs

by Sandy Mitchell on January 7th, 2008

January 7 is the Festival of Seven Herbs in Japan, or Jinjitsu. The celebration centers around eating a porridge (nanakusa-gayu) made of the seven edible wild herbs of spring. These are:

• Water dropwort (seri)
• Shepherd’s purse (nazuna)
• Cudweek (gogyo)
• Chickweed (hakobera)
• Nipplewort (hotokenoza)
• Turnip Greens (suzuna)
• Daikon (suzushiro)

Consuming these herbs on the seventh day of the year originated in China, but has been a custom in Japan for over 1000 years. It is said to bring long life and health.

For a recipe, click here.

^{(photo credit: Blue Lotus/cc license)}

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POSTED IN: Asian Holidays