What good luck if you visit Hiroshima during late fall
and early winter days. You will be amazed at the velvet carpets made by
Ginkgo and assorted Maple leaves. The view feels like a fairy tale.
Hiroshima Okonomiyaki restaurants
are women's names. This stems from
the years after the war with many men
dead, their widows had to take over
everything. When they opened the
Okonomiyaki, they used their own
name for the restaurant. Their names
have remained after all these years even
when their shops have been passed on
to other owners.
MOMIJI-GARI! FALL, IN LOVE
On the last day in Hiroshima, I had the
opportunity to experience a Japanese
pleasure of "hunting autumn":
Momijigari! In Canada or the United
States, people wander to every corner
for leaf beeping when the leaves are
turning a golden rust color. Japanese
people enjoy Momijigariin fall as much
as they do when Hanami season (cherry
blossom) comes in spring. What good
luck if you visit Hiroshima during late
fall and early winter days. You will be
amazed at the velvet carpets made by
Ginkgo and assorted Maple leaves. The
view feels like a fairy tale.
Derived from the Japanese word
Ginkyo, which means "silver apricot",
Ginkgo is considered as the link
between the past and the present, the
god and the people. Little did anyone
know, Ginkgo is the most ancient
variety, which existed in the era of
the dinosaurs: the Jurassic period 213
million years ago. It's also the only
plant which remained alive after the
atomic bomb in Hiroshima during
World War II. Ginkgo leaves are adored
by many people because of their unique
propeller shape with beautiful veins
radiating out into the leaves blade.
From the Edo period (1600 - 1867),
people had Ginkgo as salads served
with vinegar. One of the best locations
for autumn hunting is Miyajima Island,
where Maple and Ginkgo leaves are
lying around the shrine and all over the
space near Hiroshima. Happiness is
simply lying down on that assorted silky
carpet of leaves on a chilled day.
Waiting for a flight at Hiroshima
airport, I accidentally wandered into
Shukkeien park - one of the oldest
parks in Japan. The red Maple leaves
surrounded me every time the wind
blew. From far away, I could see
some couples hand-in-hand slowly
walking through Shukkeien. Under
this glorious autumn maple blaze,
everything has a tender sense of grace
and beauty.
Yet, Momijigari season in Hiroshima
is still incomplete when you haven't
tasted Momiji Manju. Momiji Manju
literally means "the cake of autumn".
Don't forget to pamper yourself
with steaming newly-baked Momiji
Manju; especially when you are on the
Miyajima Island, which is well-known
for its plethora of autumn cakes. There
are multiple choices of fillings such as
red beans, white beans, matcha, cream
cheese, or chocolate... My favorite is
the very traditional red bean flavor - the
original version of Momiji Manju from
the Meiji period.
Many people believed that Momiji
Manju was first handmade by Takatsu
Tsunesuke, a baker from Hiroshima.
At the time, the first Prime Minister
ItoHirobumi often paid a visit to the
sacred Miyajima Island. One time by
chance he saw the beautiful hands of a
girl; he exclaimed that her hands were
as beautiful as the maple leaves over
her. Inspired by his saying, this girl
asked Takatsu Tsunesuke - the baker
to create a cake bearing the maple leaf.
Since then the fall cake was born. And
almost everyone falls for it, as a friend
once said "A balanced diet is Momiji
Manjucakes in both hands!"
TRAVELLIVE
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