Ohagi on Higaniri

As I wrote in my previous post, today is "Higaniri" / "Ohigan no Iri", the first day of a seven-day period known as Higan. For the occasion, many families eat Ohagi. Ohagi is a traditional Japanese sweet made from soft, slightly mashed glutinous rice, coated with sweet red bean paste. The texture is a contrast between the chewy rice center and the smooth or chunky bean paste on the outside.

Ohagi is also eaten on the first day of the spring higan. In spring, however, it is called botanmochi, even though it is made the same. The reason for the change in names is to do with seasonal scenery. During the autumn Higan, hagi (bush clover), one of Japan's traditional Seven Flowers of Autumn, is in bloom. In spring, the sweet takes its name from botan (peony), another flower long associated with the season.

Thanks to my mother-in-law, my family will be enjoying ohagi as part of our dinner tonight. She makes it every year for both the spring and autumn Higaniri. Not only do I love her ohagi for its delicious taste, but I also appreciate how my children learn about Japanese customs, including Higan, through the traditions she continues to keep alive.