Akumaki
Encyclopedia
Akumaki is an original Japanese-style confection, which is made in Kagoshima Prefecture, Miyazaki
Prefecture and Kumamoto Prefecture during the Boy’s Festival on May 5th.
soaked in lye overnight is used to wrap glutinous rice
soaked in the same way. Akumaki is a rice cake
but it isn’t sticky and if time passes, it remains soft.
) with a little salt or soaking in honey. If it is eaten with nothing, it tastes bitter. However if it is eaten with a lot of sugar and Kinako, its bitter tastes become original good taste．And it is unique in flavor. Because of it, you might have to get used to.
during the Battle of Sekigahara
(1600) or the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592-1598). Also, Saigo Takamori
(1821-1877,the national hero of Kagoshima), took akumaki as nonperishables to the battlefield during the Satsuma Rebellion
(1877). Akumaki became popular in the north of Miyazaki Prefecture and Kumamoto Prefecture due to that rebellion.
Though it has much water, it has keeping quality. It can be kept for about one week at normal temperature, for about two weeks in refrigerator and it can also be frozen. From transfer and hygiene standpoint, vacuum-packed akumaki can be found in many places as a souvenir. It is not sold generally because it is usually a homemade confection. Therefore it was difficult to get unless there is special opportunity. Recently, since the opening of the Kyushu Shinkansen
train line, akumaki has attracted considerable attention as slow food. Akumaki is sold in hotel of Kagoshima, Roadside Station
(Michi no eki), over the internet and in supermarkets throughout Kagoshima prefecture.
Miyazaki Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyushu. The capital is the city of Miyazaki.- History :Historically, after the Meiji Restoration, Hyūga Province was renamed Miyazaki Prefecture....
Prefecture and Kumamoto Prefecture during the Boy’s Festival on May 5th.
How it is made
A skin of bambooBamboo
Bamboo is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family....
soaked in lye overnight is used to wrap glutinous rice
Glutinous rice
Glutinous rice is a type of short-grained Asian rice that is especially sticky when cooked. It is called glutinous Glutinous rice (Oryza sativa var. glutinosa or Oryza glutinosa; also called sticky rice, sweet rice, waxy rice, botan rice, biroin chal, mochi rice, and pearl rice, and pulut) is a...
soaked in the same way. Akumaki is a rice cake
Rice cake
A rice cake may be any kind of food item made from rice that has been shaped, condensed, or otherwise combined into a single object. A wide variety of rice cakes exist in many different cultures in which rice is eaten, and are particularly prevalent in Asia. The origin of rice cake seems to be...
but it isn’t sticky and if time passes, it remains soft.
How it is eaten
Akumaki has no taste. It is the best way of eating that blended sugar and toasted soybean flour (KinakoKinako
, also known as soybean flour, is a product commonly used in Japanese cuisine. Kinako is produced by finely grinding roasted soybeans into powder.Kinako, being composed of soybeans, is a healthy topping and flavoring which contains B vitamins and protein....
) with a little salt or soaking in honey. If it is eaten with nothing, it tastes bitter. However if it is eaten with a lot of sugar and Kinako, its bitter tastes become original good taste．And it is unique in flavor. Because of it, you might have to get used to.
Past and Present
It is said that akumaki began as long-life provision for samuraiSamurai
is the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
during the Battle of Sekigahara
Battle of Sekigahara
The , popularly known as the , was a decisive battle on October 21, 1600 which cleared the path to the Shogunate for Tokugawa Ieyasu...
(1600) or the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592-1598). Also, Saigo Takamori
Saigo Takamori
was one of the most influential samurai in Japanese history, living during the late Edo Period and early Meiji Era. He has been dubbed the last true samurai.-Early life:...
(1821-1877,the national hero of Kagoshima), took akumaki as nonperishables to the battlefield during the Satsuma Rebellion
Satsuma Rebellion
The was a revolt of Satsuma ex-samurai against the Meiji government from January 29 to September 24, 1877, 9 years into the Meiji Era. It was the last, and the most serious, of a series of armed uprisings against the new government.-Background:...
(1877). Akumaki became popular in the north of Miyazaki Prefecture and Kumamoto Prefecture due to that rebellion.
Though it has much water, it has keeping quality. It can be kept for about one week at normal temperature, for about two weeks in refrigerator and it can also be frozen. From transfer and hygiene standpoint, vacuum-packed akumaki can be found in many places as a souvenir. It is not sold generally because it is usually a homemade confection. Therefore it was difficult to get unless there is special opportunity. Recently, since the opening of the Kyushu Shinkansen
Kyushu Shinkansen
The ' is a Japanese high-speed railway line between the Japanese cities of Fukuoka and Kagoshima in Kyushu, running parallel to the existing Kagoshima Main Line and operated by the Kyushu Railway Company . The southern 127 km opened on 13 March 2004...
train line, akumaki has attracted considerable attention as slow food. Akumaki is sold in hotel of Kagoshima, Roadside Station
Roadside Station
A is a government-designated rest area found along roads and highways in Japan.In addition to providing places for travelers to rest, they are also intended to promote local tourism and trade...
(Michi no eki), over the internet and in supermarkets throughout Kagoshima prefecture.
External links
- Homepage of Kagoshims LANGUAGE > English > Special products&Traditional crafts > Special products > Sweets,etc. > Akumaki