Symbol of hardiness
The yuzu, which was introduced to Japan from China, has grown to be a part of Japanese culture.
BOY, am I glad that the day is gradually getting longer than the night in Japan! It can be startling to step outside and find darkness descending around 4.30pm as winter solstice approaches each year. The daylight progressively wanes from the summer solstice to the winter solstice.
Twice a year, on Equinox Day around March 20 or 21 and Sept 22 or 23, the length of day and night are closest to being equal.
Dec 21 or 22 is usually winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere and simultaneously, summer solstice in the Southern Hemisphere. The solstices are reversed on June 20 or 21, with the day being the longest while the night is shortest.
Known as Dongzhi in Chinese, Winter Solstice Festival is called Toji in Japanese. When my brother and I were children, we used to compete with each other to roll out the most tang yuan (glutinous rice balls) – and the roundest ones, too – for Dongzhi. Our family members would gather together to eat the tang yuan in a sweet dessert soup.
As the winter gets colder, the Japanese warm up with yuzu-yu (yuzu bath), a widespread tradition which is said to ward off colds and heal chapped skins.
Since yuzu is a hardy and cold-tolerant citrus, it symbolises man’s resistance to the harsh winter. The hot bathwater releases the piquant scent of yuzu, which is believed to be therapeutic and keeps evil spirits at bay. Besides, it can be fun to soak in the bath with many yuzu bobbing around you.
The yuzu, which originated from China, was introduced to Japan during the Nara period (AD 710-794). It was used for culinary and medicinal purposes, and also in hot baths. From a distance, the yuzu might be mistaken for mandarin oranges, since they are both in season. However, unlike the orange, the yuzu’s skin has bumps.
On Toji, hot springs and public baths will have lots of yuzu floating in the water. You can buy yuzu and make your own yuzu-yu. For convenience’s sake, you can use store-bought yuzu bath salt.
Every year, my Japanese friend would give me some yuzu from the tree in her garden.
“The yuzu is too tart to be eaten. Use them for yuzu-yu,” she once told me.
“Mottainai (what a waste)!” I thought to myself.
I often freeze any leftover yuzu for future use. Its juice and grated zest give jellies and cakes an aromatic tang. As a garnish, its slivered zest imparts a tangy flavour. And yuzu jam makes a delicious spread.
Many products are made from yuzu. Flavoured and yuzu-based soy sauce is commonly used as a dipping sauce, dressing or marinade.
Then there is yuzu kosho (yuzu pepper in paste form) – a relish which enhances the flavour of dishes and gives them a kick. Yuzu hachimitsu (yuzu combined with honey) makes a lovely, fragrant tea. There are other uses for yuzu, such as in liquor and cosmetics.
In ancient times, Toji is thought to be the day when death is the closest because the day is the shortest and the night is the longest. Hence, consuming beta-carotene rich kabocha (Japanese pumpkin) and taking yuzu-yu are said to fortify one’s body against sicknesses.
As kabocha can be preserved for a long time, it signifies hardiness in the face of winter. Depending on individual taste and the region one comes from, kabocha can be cooked in various ways. It can boiled with sugar and soy sauce or with added meat.
Some people boil pumpkin and azuki (red beans) together with sugar. The red colour of the azuki is thought to expel malevolence and misfortune.
Synonymous with Toji is a hi-watari (fire-walking) ritual at certain shrines. It is performed to bring good health and protection for the coming year and to purge impurities of the past year. Visitors walk barefoot through a path made in the middle of a bonfire. After completing the walk, they would receive a yuzu.
As for me, I concocted kabocha tang yuan last year by merging Japanese and Chinese traditions together. While we were enjoying it, my son remarked: “These yellow balls in the soup resemble tiny yuzu in a yuzu-yu, don’t they?”
Sarah Mori, a Malaysian married to a Japanese, has been living in Japan since 1992.