Jinjitsu no Sekku: The Human Day Festival

April Dykes
5 日前
読了時間: 6分

Jinjitsu no Sekku (Human Day or Mankind Day), also known as Nanakusa no Sekku (The Seven Herbs Festival), is one of Japan’s five seasonal festivals. Every year on January 7th, after the hustle and bustle of the New Year, this day serves as a reminder to slow down and prioritize health. While Jinjitsu no Sekku has been celebrated since the Nara period, did you know that its roots can be traced back to China?

Origins of Jinjitsu no Sekku

During the Lunar New Year, the first seven days hold a special importance. According to ancient mythology, the goddess Nuwa created animals on the first six days and then humans on the seventh day. The order is as follows:

Day 1: chicken
Day 2: dog
Day 3: pig
Day 4: sheep
Day 5: cow
Day 6: horse
Day 7: humans

The concept of Jinjitsu no Sekku comes from the seventh day, which is also referred to as ‘renri’, human day. This day is often seen as the birthday of humanity.

Before the popularity of Jinjitsu no Sekku spread, Japan had its own customs that were celebrated at the start of the year: Nenohi and Aouma no Sechie. Nenohi, the day of the rat, had the “custom of rubbing one's lower back against the trunk of a pine tree and eating rice porridge made with young greens symbolizes taking in the life force of the pine tree, which has green leaves all year round, and the fresh spring grasses, and praying for good health” (Hankyu Food). Every January 7th, Aouma no Sechie, the White Horse Festival, was held at the Imperial Palace. On this day, the emperor would look at a white horse. “It was based on the Chinese theory of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements, which states that viewing something yang in spring will ward off evil spirits” (Yoritomo-Japan).

“The Aouma no Sechie, which originated from a banquet called the Nanuka Sechie, which was held at the Imperial Palace on January 7th since the Asuka period, is said to have been positioned as an important event second only to the enthronement of the Emperor, alongside the Ganjitsu Sechie and Niiname-sai, and it shows that January 7th was valued as a seasonal turning point” (お墓きわめびとの会). According to お墓きわめびとの会, there was a custom known as wakana tsumi, pickling young leaves, that could be found in poetry. For wakana tsumi, people would pick and eat young leaves on the first day of the New Year to pray for good health. Over time, these customs turned into the celebration of Jinjitsu no Sekku on January 7th with the seven herb porridge that we know today.

Nanakusa-gayu

Since ancient times, this rice porridge has been made with seven herbs, based on the belief that one can absorb their vitality, ward off evil spirits, and stay healthy for the year ahead. After eating osechi ryori, a gentle porridge filled with nutritious herbs is perfect for the stomach.

While we know that nanakusa-gayu has seven herbs, let’s dive into what each of the herbs is and their significance.

Seri
Nazuna
Gogyou
Hakobera
Hotoke no za
Suzuna
Suzushiro

The following information comes from macaroni:

Seri, Japanese parsley

Seri has a refreshing and unique aroma that stimulates the appetite. It is said that the Japanese name for Seri comes from the way the young leaves of the plant grow in a competing pattern. It is also considered an auspicious item, with the meaning of "winning a competition." Seri is an essential ingredient that adds an accent to Japanese cuisine. Both the leaves and stems are edible, so they can be enjoyed as a main ingredient in dishes such as salads and boiled greens.

Nazuna, shepherd’s purse

The word shepherd's purse, a plant of the Brassicaceae family, is said to have its origin in ‘nadena,' meaning ‘a vegetable so cute you want to stroke it' or 'stroking it to cleanse away dirt’. In addition, because its heart-shaped fruit resembles a shamisen plectrum, it is also called "penpengusa," which represents the sound of the shamisen. Shepherd's purse is a plant with great vitality. For this reason, it is known that many samurai families in the Hokuriku region used shepherd's purse as their family crest to ward off evil spirits.

Gogyo, Buddha’s body

"Gogyo" is a plant of the Asteraceae family, also known as "hahakogusa." The leaves and stems are covered with white fluff, and in the spring they produce many small yellow flowers. Nowadays, kusamochi is made with mugwort, but in the past, gogyo was used.

Hakobera, chickweed

"Hakobera" is a plant of the Caryophyllaceae family, also known as chickweed. There are several theories about the etymology, with the most likely being "habikorimemura" (spreading buds), "hakoboruru" (tooth covering), and "hakomera" (cluster of leaves). Because the roots spread out widely and the seeds sprout immediately after falling, it is considered a lucky charm, with the meaning "prosperity will flourish.

Hotoke no za, Buddha’s seat

There are two types of "Buddha's seat" (Hotoke no za), one from the Asteraceae family and one from the Lamiaceae family. The one used in the Seven Herbs of Spring is the one from the Asteraceae family. Its standard Japanese name is "Koonitabirako." It was named after the fact that its radially spreading leaves resemble the pedestal on which Buddha sits.

Suzuna, turnip

"Suzuna" is a type of turnip. In nagyu (rice porridge with seven herbs), the leaves and roots are mainly used. It is also known as "Suzuna" (bell greens), and has come to be considered a lucky charm as a "bell that summons the gods."

Suzushiro, radish

"Suzushiro" refers to daikon radish. Daikon radish has a refreshing white root appearance, and was also called "seihaku" in the past, meaning "pure and pure, untainted white." In the past, the leaves were used, just like suzuna (turnip), but nowadays, both the leaves and the roots are often used in nanakusa-gayu.

In addition to the auspicious meaning behind each of the herbs used for nanakusa-gayu, each herb has its own health benefits.

Seri increases appetite and improves blood circulation
Shepherd's purse is detoxifying and is a diuretic
Gogyo (Gogata) relieves coughs and sore throats
Chickweed (Fengru) relieves abdominal pain and prevents periodontal disease
Hotokenoza (Buddha's seat) regulates gastrointestinal function
Suzuna (turnip) promotes digestion
Suzushiro (radish): aids digestion

Nanakusa-gayu recipe

The following recipe comes from Isetan Door, and it is said that this recipe is perfect for beginners.

The ingredients needed to make nanakusa-gayu (serves 2-3) are listed below. These are all easily available at supermarkets, so please prepare them.

・Rice: about 2 bowls (cooked)

・Water: 500ml to 600ml (adjust to your preferred consistency)

・Spring Seven Herbs Set: 1 pack (sold at supermarkets, etc.)

・Salt: a little

How to make it

We will explain the basic steps of how to make nanakusa-gayu. If you follow these steps, even beginners will be able to make delicious nanakusa-gayu.

1. Wash the seven herbs carefully and separate them into leafy vegetables (water dropwort, shepherd's purse, gogyo, chickweed, and buddha's purse) and root vegetables (turnip and suzushiro).

2. Cut the root vegetables, Suzuna and Suzushiro, into thin, round slices or ginkgo slices. For leafy vegetables, add a little salt to boiling water and quickly boil them, then immediately transfer them to cold water to prevent them from discoloring. Squeeze out the water thoroughly and chop them finely.

3. Put rice and water in a pot and heat over medium heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer slowly, stirring occasionally to prevent burning, until the rice grains become porridge-like.

4. When the porridge has reached the desired consistency, add the sliced root vegetables (suzuna, suzushiro) and simmer for a few more minutes to cook through.

5. Finally, add the finely chopped greens and mix lightly, then season with salt and it's done.

If the instructions seem a bit intimidating, please check out the video below from macaroni