New Year’s Eve in Japan: Oji Fox Parade

Last year in December 2015, we spent Christmas and New Year’s in Japan. I’ve already covered previously some of the amazing Winter Illuminations that you can see during the winter season and that they have the lights not just for the December timed holidays. I also recommended that the winter season is a great time to visit the snow monkeys in the hot springs, and since winter is more clear a perfect time to stay at an onsen with a view of Mt Fuji. If you are there specifically during New Year’s time, I want to now add the recommendation of checking out a unique New Year’s Eve in Japan event of the Oji Fox Parade.

Unlike in the United States and many other countries, New Year’s Eve in Japan is not celebrated with big parties and fireworks and midnight kisses. You can find some parties at establishments that cater more to foreigners – for instance we stopped by a beer bar seemed to have a lot of expats and English speakers. Goodbeer Faucets, located only a few blocks away from Shibuya station in Tokyo, usually is already a fun visit with their 40 taps of beer. For New Year’s Eve, they were hosting a Drink It All Party where as their taps started to kick (aka become empty of that beer) the cost of all beer overall that evening would decrease. Pretty fun idea for a bar party.
On New Year's Eve 2015, we walked to Goodbeer Faucets in Shibuya with 40 kinds of draught beer. They were having a special event where as they blew their taps the price of the beer would be discounted until we drank all their beer and they closed for the New Year's weekend On New Year's Eve 2015, we walked to Goodbeer Faucets in Shibuya with 40 kinds of draught beer. They were having a special event where as they blew their taps the price of the beer would be discounted until we drank all their beer and they closed for the New Year's weekend

New Year’s time in Japan is one of the most important holidays of the year. It’s seen as a time to prepare a fresh clean start, and time to be with family. On New Year’s Day itself, millions visit the shrines to pray for luck and a good new year. For some that may include lining up on New Year’s Eve not to party, but to just stand in line to await visiting the shrine as soon as it turns midnight.

In Tokyo, there is an area called Oji (serviced by a conveniently named Oji Station). According to a local folk tale, foxes gather in this Oji area from all over Japan on New Year’s Eve, disguised in human costume, to visit a shrine located here called Oji Inari-jinja Shrine. There is a famous piece of art by Utagawa Hiroshige during the 1797–1858 Edo period depicting this event. It shows the foxes (kitsune) gathering at a tree on New Year’s Eve to pay homage to Inari, Shinto god of the rice field, for whom the fox serves as messenger. On the way, the foxes have set a number of kitsunebi (foxfires), which farmers count to predict the upcoming rice harvest. You may see versions of the art around the area like we did.
There is a famous piece of art by Utagawa Hiroshige during the 1797–1858 Edo period depicting this event showing the foxes (kitsune) gathering at a tree on New Year's Eve to pay homage at the Ōji Inari shrine, the headquarters of the Inari cult that centers on the god of the rice field, for whom the fox serves as messenger. On the way to Ōji, the foxes have set a number of kitsunebi (foxfires), which farmers count to predict the upcoming rice harvest. You may see versions of the art around the area like we did. There is a famous piece of art by Utagawa Hiroshige during the 1797–1858 Edo period depicting this event showing the foxes (kitsune) gathering at a tree on New Year's Eve to pay homage at the Ōji Inari shrine, the headquarters of the Inari cult that centers on the god of the rice field, for whom the fox serves as messenger. On the way to Ōji, the foxes have set a number of kitsunebi (foxfires), which farmers count to predict the upcoming rice harvest. You may see versions of the art around the area like we did.
New Year’s Eve Foxfires at the Changing Tree, Ōji by artist Utagawa Hiroshige

Every year on New Year’s Eve, a Oji Kitsune-no-gyorestu Fox Parade is held that goes from Shozoku Inari-Jinja Shrine and Oji Inari-Jinja Shrine.
Doll version of the parade. According to a local folk tale, foxes gathered the Oji area from all over Japan on New Year's Eve, disguised in human costume, to visit Oji Inari-jinja Shrine. Oji Kitsune-no-gyorestu Fox Parade is held every year since 1993 in an effort to integrate old culture into the new community. Shrine-goers parade the streets holding chochin lanterns representing the light of life and the light of hope, and wishing for the sound growth and happiness of the children. Doll version of the parade. According to a local folk tale, foxes gathered the Oji area from all over Japan on New Year's Eve, disguised in human costume, to visit Oji Inari-jinja Shrine. Oji Kitsune-no-gyorestu Fox Parade is held every year since 1993 in an effort to integrate old culture into the new community. Shrine-goers parade the streets holding chochin lanterns representing the light of life and the light of hope, and wishing for the sound growth and happiness of the children.
Doll version of the Oji Kitsune-no-gyorestu Fox Parade displayed by Oji Station

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Japan Travel: Japanese Treats at Temples and Shrines

I wanted to highlight some of the mysterious snacks and treats you may see when you are looking at food stalls nearby a temple or shrine. You won’t necessarily find all of these at a particular temple or shrine, but usually you will find some. This is not a full list- just my personal favorite Japanese Treats at Temples and Shrines.

The big motherlode is at Sensoji Temple in Asakusa, an area in Tokyo, because it boasts Nakamise Dori Shopping Street that almost everyone passes through from Kaminarimon Gate to Hozomon Gate to get to the actual main hall and other buildings. Another great area to look is in Kyoto, in the Higashiyama shopping street between Yasaka Shrine or Kodaji Temple and Kiyomizudera Temple,  also called Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka.

Dango

Dango is a doughy ball served on skewers. In most cases, the dango are each chewy like mochi usually brushed with a sweet sauce. They are usually slightly smaller than the size of a ping pong ball. There are multiple dango balls on a skewer. In some cases the dango are all the same, but there are also multi-colored pink white and green ball that may appear all on a stick too. I’ve also had a black one which was made with black sesame, a Mount Takao specialty.
Black Sesame Dango, a Mount Takao specialty

In most cases the dango are also warmed slightly by a charcoal fire or grill so that parts of it are crisped up a little but on the outside on one side. It may be a modest fire like these
Getting a little crisp edge to the dango, a chewy Japanese dumpling and sweet made from mochiko (rice flour) that are served skewered at a Mount Takao stand Getting a little crisp edge to the dango, a chewy Japanese dumpling and sweet made from mochiko (rice flour) that are served skewered at a Mount Takao stand

Or in the evening a little bit more dramatic with the flames.
Dango stand near Sensoji Temple, this stand was on a side street Dango stand near Sensoji Temple, this stand was on a side street

They are usually plain when they are skewered by the fire, and then when you order a skewer, get the sauce brushed on and may get a quick extra warmed up closer to the heat for a few moments to glaze it slightly.
Brushing the sauce on dango, a chewy Japanese dumpling and sweet made from mochiko (rice flour) that are usually serve skewered at a Mount Takao stand

They are usually very chewy and have a napkin to wipe your face since the sauce may got on it!
Chewy saucy dango, a Japanese dumpling made from mochiko (rice flour) on a skewer. This was almost like a sweet bbq sauce from a Mount Takao stand Chewy saucy dango, a Japanese dumpling made from mochiko (rice flour) on a skewer. This was almost like a sweet bbq sauce from a Mount Takao stand

There is one exception to this, which I have found on Nakamise at Sensoji. You’ll recognize this famous stand by the pink and bunny theme. Even though this is an exception, I always top and get it. Here, the dango are much smaller, more the size of marbles. This is Kibi-dango, a variation of dango made with millet flour. From this same stand you can enjoy with warm sake called Amazake that is very sweet and low alcohol. Here, I caught a few photos of the ladies rolling the kibi dango in the flour. Afterwards, since the flour is still a bit loose they serve the dango in a pink envelope with the white bunny logo on it. I highly recommend with Kibi dango to have it with a beverage as the flour coating instead of a sauce makes it more dry.
Kibi-dango is a variation of dango made with millet flour, which here you can enjoy with warm sake called Amazake that is sweet and low alchohol from the same store on Nakamise Shopping Street at Sensoji Temple in Asakusa Kibi-dango is a variation of dango made with millet flour, which here you can enjoy with warm sake called Amazake that is sweet and low alcohol from the same store on Nakamise Shopping Street at Sensoji Temple in Asakusa Kibi-dango is a variation of dango made with millet flour, which here you can enjoy with warm sake called Amazake that is sweet and low alcohol from the same store on Nakamise Shopping Street at Sensoji Temple in Asakusa Kibi-dango is a variation of dango made with millet flour, which here you can enjoy with warm sake called Amazake that is sweet and low alchohol from the same store on Nakamise Shopping Street at Sensoji Temple in Asakusa

Ningyo Yaki

Ningyo Yaki is a cake filled with sweet red bean paste. You will often see it in the shape of various buildings or animals.
ningyo-yaki (red bean-filled buns moulded into various shapes using iron pans over a fire) in varoius shapes! ningyo-yaki (red bean-filled buns moulded into various shapes using iron pans over a fire) in varoius shapes!

If you are lucky, you will see it being made fresh, either with an iron mold pan by hand, or by an automated machine!

By hand with a mold pan (at Sensoji Temple) – the man will first pour in the dough, add the bean, and then pour more dough on top and then place the mold on the small flames- he was super fast! You can see all the molds he is working with on the right as they are cooking to the right.:
Making Ningyo Yaki (red bean filled busn molde dinto varoius shapes using iron pans ove ra fire) - the man will first pour in the dough, add the bean, and then pour more dough on top and then place the mold on the small flames- he was super fast! Making Ningyo Yaki (red bean filled busn molde dinto varoius shapes using iron pans ove ra fire) - the man will first pour in the dough, add the bean, and then pour more dough on top and then place the mold on the small flames- he was super fast!

Automated (at Himeji Castle):

At this particular machine (I won’t tell you how long I stood at the window, just fascinated each time I come across these…) there are two brushes on the right side of the machine that brush the inside of the molds – each mold’s side gets brushed. Then as it turns counterclockwise, the molds get dough squirted into it, then the sweet bean pellet is added. I couldn’t see all the way around so I’m not sure if then there is a second squirt of dough to cover the sweet bean before the mold is closed.
Automated Ningyo Yaki Machine. On the right side, you can see two pipes that brush the inside of the mold, and then the machine will squeeze the dough into the molds, On the other side the bean is then added, and more dough on top then the molds continue to circle, cooking it on one side until it is flipped by that lever you see on the right to cook on the other side! It ticks more counterclockwise until it gets to the lever on the right which will open and dump out the ningyo yaki

What I do know is then it clicks forward counterclockwise until the mold reaches a lever on the left side, around the 8 o’clock mark. Then, the lever flips the mold over to cook on the other side until around the 3 o’clock mark in the machine, a lever opens the mold and then a claw retrieves the hot now fully cooked cake.
In this ningyo yaki machine, it automatically does the entire process in an automated fashion. The crane carries the cooked cake to the machine on this right side to cool and get packaged down the little slide of plastic you see. On the left you can see the brushing inside the mold and then the squeezing of dough to the left of that

Then, the claw drops it perfectly each time into a new smaller machine that times the cooling of the cake and then slides it into plastic to be individually wrapped.
Automated ningyo yaki machine. The crane on the right side carries the cooked cake to the machine on this right side to cool and get packaged down the little slide of plastic you see. On the left you can see the brushing inside the mold and then the squeezing of dough to the left of that

Since these photos were taken by Himeji (a famous Japanese castle), no surprise that the ningyo yaki looks like a mini castle! When we purchased this, the man ran around the machine to give us a fresh, still warm one.
Himeji Castle shaped Ningyo Yaki - Ningyo Yaki is a cake filled with sweet red bean paste. You will often see it in the shape of various buildings or animals.

Manju

Manju is a batter (usually flour, rice powder and buckwheat) stuffed with some sort of filling (usually sweet red bean paste of boiled azuki beans and sugar). At Nakamise Dori, I was surprised to find more creative fillings, such as cherry, custard, pumpkin, sweet potato, green tea and more. Below, I got a Sesame Manju.
Manjū (饅頭?) is a popular traditional Japanese confection. There are many varieties of manjū, but most have an outside made from flour, rice powder and buckwheat and a filling of an red bean paste, made from boiled azuki beans and sugar. This stand at Nakamise Dori has many creative fillings beyond just sweet red bean Manjū (饅頭?) is a popular traditional Japanese confection. There are many varieties of manjū, but most have an outside made from flour, rice powder and buckwheat and a filling of red bean paste made from boiled azuki beans and sugar.

Nikuman

Nikuman is a smaller version of Chinese buns. They are steamed, and may be filled with meat or other fillings. They are served quite hot, often right out of the steamer, so definitely be carefully biting into it – the floury doughy soft bun may seem warm, but the inside can be piping hot.
The many snacks being made fresh that you can purchase while walking in the Higashiyama District - we stopped for these Nikuman, or steamed buns because there is a beef burdock one and also a bean green tea vegetarian one The many snacks being made fresh that you can purchase while walking in the Higashiyama District - we stopped for these Nikuman, or steamed buns because there is a beef burdock one and also a bean green tea vegetarian one

You will probably recognize it by the wooden steamer trays stacked on top of each other
Nikuman - steamed bun filled with meat and/or other ingedients. This beefy one was juicy by Himeji Castle Nikuman

For instance, I found these in the Higashiyama District – we stopped for these buns because there is a beef and burdock one and also a bean and green tea vegetarian one!
The many snacks being made fresh that you can purchase while walking in the Higashiyama District - beef and burdock one The many snacks being made fresh that you can purchase while walking in the Higashiyama District - beef and burdock The many snacks being made fresh that you can purchase while walking in the Higashiyama District - bean green tea vegetarian one The many snacks being made fresh that you can purchase while walking in the Higashiyama District - bean green tea vegetarian one

Menchi Katsu

Menchi Katsu is a breaded and deep fried cutlet or croquette, usually meat but it could be another protein (in Kyoto we had the vegetarian options of potato or tofu skin).

This meat one below shown from near Sensoji Temple at the stand Asakusa Menchi (you will probably recognize it first by the line) is the best version I’ve ever had, famous for being particularly juicy / greasy depending on your point of view and they use a rare breed pork called Kouza-buta (Kouza pork) from Kanagawa.
In line for famous Asamen's Menchi Katsu, a breaded and depe fried cutlet or croquette Very juicy and flavorful fried pork thing - apparently Menchi Katsu, a deep fried breaded cutlet - found at Asakusa, near Sensoji Temple

I also found some while walking in Higashiyama shopping street towards Kiyomizudera Temple in Kyoto- they had filling options of Kobe beef, soy milk skin cream, and Japanese potato croquette.
As a snack in the Higashiyama District, we purchased some croquettes to energize us for our uphill walk to the temple - they had kobe beef, soy milk skin cream, and Japanese potato croquette As a snack in the Higashiyama District, we purchased some croquettes to energize us for our uphill walk to the temple - they had kobe beef, soy milk skin cream, and Japanese potato croquette

Senbei

Senbei are Japanese rice crackers. There are a huge variety of senbei out there – some are sweet, salty, spicy, or savory, in all sorts of shapes and sizes and flavors. They are usually baked or grilled over charcoal. The mnst common ones you see are round, and may have a little square piece of seaweed wrapped around it and be shiny from a soy sauce glaze.

What has made senbei probably most famous is that they sell them to feed the deer at Nara. There is even a place where they throw large senbei like frisbee and the nburn down a mountain!?? Japan Talk has a webpage listing some interesting senbei trivia.

I admit I don’t necessarily seek out senbei because it makes me thirsty, and that makes me drink, and then I might have to use a public toilet and who knows if it will be the nice ones with buttons or a squat one (although at least unlike China they provide a nice handle on the wall to keep your balance). But I wanted to highlight an interesting one I found in Kyoto, on Higashiyama just across from the entrance to the Kodaji Temple. It was the aroma and seeing them being made fresh that caught my attention. Fresh senbei is always superior to packaged ones.
Senbei store where we observed it being made fresh in Higashiyama District. This senbei has been produced since 1864 and is still hand baked the exact same way. These are different in that they utilize broad bean, wheat, flour and an egg.

This one, according to a helpful English index card in the window, has been produced since 1864 and is still hand baked the exact same way. These are different in that they utilize broad bean, wheat, flour and an egg. The craftsman was super cheerful and welcoming even as he kept working the whole time. He uses those bags to pie in dough, but that rectangle in front of him is an oven full of broad beans that are being roasted – you an see some of the beans there on the cloth and paper in front of him. He scoops the beans from the big pot to his left and into drawers of the oven. Senbei store where we observed it being made fresh in Higashiyama District. This senbei has been produced since 1864 and is still hand baked the exact same way. These are different in that they utilize broad bean, wheat, flour and an egg.

We sampled all the different kinds and the bag we bought did not make it out of Japan because we ate it all.
Kyoto Senbei made with broad bean

Amazake

Amazake is a sweet warmed sake. It is made out of fermented rice and Koji (a special cultured rice – it’s bringing the important fungus that will break down the carb of the rice to sugars) so the sweetness comes naturally, not from any sugar.
Amazake that is sweet and low alcohol from the same store on Nakamise Shopping Street at Sensoji Temple in Asakusa Amazake that is sweet and low alcohol from the same store on Nakamise Shopping Street at Sensoji Temple in Asakusa

It is poured from the pot where it is still kept warm.
="Amazake

The texture is almost like an almond milk. There may be a lot or just a little of the rice left in the beverage.
 Amazake that is sweet and low alcohol from the same store on Nakamise Shopping Street at Sensoji Temple in Asakusa Amazake by Kiyomizudera Temple's fountains

It might be made out of white rice, brown rice, or even black sesame (which I found as a specialty at Mount Takao). It is low in alcohol, so even kids drink it. When it’s chilly out, it’s a nice warm drink that is more substantial than just tea.
Black Sesame Amazake at Mount Takao

Which of these treats caught your eye as something you would stop for? Have you had any of these before? Is there a Japanese Temple or Shrine snack I missed?

Here’s a summary of my Japan Travel post series:

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