A day for Azuki

The 1st and the 15th of each month is Azuki Day (あずきの日). “Azuki” (小豆) is the Japanese word for red beans, pronounced ah-zoo-kee. The kanji literally means “small bean.” They are small red legumes that play a huge role in Japanese cooking and East Asian food culture. They’re tiny, shiny, and slightly sweet, and they’ve been part of the Japanese diet for thousands of years. Moreover, they carry a cultural significance too.

In Japan, azuki carries a sense of good fortune. Red is an auspicious color in Japan, so azuki beans appear in celebratory foods. Especially on the 1st and 15th of each month from an old custom in Japan, when people traditionally ate azuki. These days correspond to the lunar cycle—the 1st marking the new moon and the 15th the full moon—both considered auspicious times for preparing celebratory red rice. 

Azuki beans have a long history in Japan. They appear in archaeological remains and are mentioned in the Kojiki, where they are linked to early agricultural mythology. Modern azuki cultivation is concentrated in Hokkaido, which produces more than half of Japan’s crop. Nutritionally, azuki beans are rich in protein, B vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber, and they contain saponin. So, any day is a good day to eat them, not just "Azuki Day"!