Winter Solstice Customs - Seasonal Culture

22nd of the 24 solar terms: Winter solstice

The shortest day and longest night of the year.

[Winter solstice] means "the shortest day in the world"

In the past, people were barely able to harvest any crops at this time of year as the cold deepened, and with the cold only getting more severe, it was extremely difficult to survive the winter.

"When the sun's power weakens and becomes negative, not only crops but also people and everything else declines."

During the winter season, the sun is shut out, the air is cold, plants wither, and few animals are seen. The winter solstice, when the night is the longest, is the "day closest to death," and for this reason it has become a day to pray for good health and freedom from illness.

People see seasons of hardship as part of a cycle of seasons of blessings,

The transition from the winter solstice to spring

The revival of the sun's power = "The day the sun is reborn"

It has been considered as the first day of the year .

Not only in Japan, but all over the world, there are many customs of celebrating the winter solstice as the " birthday of the sun ," and Christmas also originates from the winter solstice festival.

It is also known as "Ichiyou Raifuku," which refers to "good fortune coming after a series of bad luck . "

The wisdom and lifestyle of the people who prayed for the blessing of new grains, gave thanks to the sun, and believed that not only grains but also humans were part of nature, living in harmony with the changing seasons, has been passed down to the present day in great numbers .

Winter solstice food

What did they eat as the cold weather deepened?

[Pumpkin (nankin) - pumpkin]

Since pumpkins are eaten on the winter solstice, they are often thought of as a winter vegetable, but they are actually a summer vegetable.
People survive the cold of winter by eating carefully preserved pumpkins harvested in the summer. Not only can they be preserved for a long time, but they also taste better as they ripen, making them even more delicious around the winter solstice.

[Efficacy and effectiveness]
It contains a wealth of nutrients, including vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, and potassium, which are perfect for winter, a time when our health tends to be unstable.
Some of the benefits include boosting immunity, preventing aging with its antioxidant properties, protecting healthy skin, reducing swelling, and improving constipation.

[Recommended cooking method]
Since it contains a lot of water-soluble vitamins, the nutrients will be lost if you boil it. We recommend using soups that use the boiled water. You can also prevent this by cooking it in the microwave.

The absorption rate of beta-carotene increases when it is consumed with oil, so you can get the most out of it by cooking it with oily dishes or fatty minced meat.

[Azuki beans]

The effects of adzuki beans have been known since ancient times, as described in the oldest Chinese medical book, Materia Medica, as "killing demon poison and relieving pain." They are also called "adzuki beans for warding off evil," and the Chinese custom of cooking adzuki bean porridge on the winter solstice to ward off evil spirits remains, and "boiled pumpkin" has become a standard dish on the day of the winter solstice.
Additionally, there is a custom of eating adzuki bean porridge on Little New Year's Day, January 15th, to pray for good health and to ward off evil spirits for the year.

"Itoko-ni," a dish of boiled pumpkin and red beans, is a standard menu item for the winter solstice.

[Efficacy and effectiveness]
●Azuki beans contain a lot of vitamin B1, which helps with carbohydrate metabolism. It also promotes the metabolism of lactic acid and helps relieve fatigue.
●Food rich in potassium. It helps expel sodium (salt) taken into the body and prevents swelling.
●It contains a lot of dietary fiber. It is effective in preventing constipation. It also has the effect of regulating the intestinal environment.

Other benefits that women can expect include improved constipation, weight loss, beautiful skin, and prevention of lifestyle-related diseases.

[Recommended cooking method]

Like pumpkin, red beans are also a food that is rich in water-soluble vitamins. The initial cooking liquid contains a lot of scum, which is discarded during the cooking process to remove the astringency.

If you want to get the most out of the polyphenols contained in red beans, we recommend boiling them whole. Polyphenols are also the bitter component, so choose whether or not to boil them depending on your preference and the dish you are using.

Nowadays, there are a wide variety of azuki beans available, from those with a strong bitter taste to those with almost no bitter taste. Azuki beans are an ingredient that is suitable for a variety of cooking methods, so we recommend trying them out depending on your preferences and the cooking method you are using.

[Good luck! Seven kinds of winter solstice]

The Seven Herbs of Spring that are eaten on the Jinjitsu festival after the New Year are well known, but there are also the Seven Herbs of the Winter Solstice that are eaten on the winter solstice.

The Seven Foods of the Winter Solstice are:

Agar
kumquat (Kumquat)
ginkgo ( Ginkgo )
Pumpkin ( nankin = pumpkin)
Carrot
Lotus root
Udon ( udon )

On the winter solstice, people offer seven kinds of foods to bring good luck, a practice known as " unmori" (lucky offerings) , in hopes of restoring good fortune. Many of these foods are actually highly nutritious, so they are not only good luck foods, but are also recommended for getting through the cold winter.


Besides food, there are other well-known customs associated with the winter solstice.

[Yuzuyu]

The yuzu bath is meant to "purify the body" before bringing in good fortune.