Eel Eating Day

Doyo means “the end of the season”,are the days which mark the 18 days before the beginning of each season in the lunar calendar and Ushi no Hi, literally means day of the ox, from of old Japanese believed that each part of the day follows the 12 animals of zodiac signs for designation cycles of time, They are Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig, animals were used to represent certain text about “Doyo Ushi no Hi”(the Ox day of the hottest period).

Doyo no Ushi no Hi on July 20th as known as the hottest day of the year(temperature about 35-36°C and high humidity in summer),is a special mid-summer day dedicated to eating eels(Unagi, 鰻)because eels are very nutritious foods and can restore people’s vitality and then beat the summer heat, a great source of high quality protein, calcium, vitamin A, B1, B2, D, E, high in EPA (which lowers blood cholesterol) and DHA (sometimes called “brain food,” it is thought to enhance mental acumen), which is popular summertime fare. On Doyo ushi no hi, you will find eels sold at every supermarkets, the shopping arcade, restaurants, convenience stores and Long advertisement flags (nobori) are often around to promote sales. And then you can see a salesman or fishmonger with some freshly grilled eel for sale.

Kinds of Eel Dishes:

Kabayaki(蒲焼) - grilled eel on skewers and grilled with sweet soy sauce-base sauce (kabayaki sauce) before broiled on a grill.

Unagi-don orUnagi-donburi (鰻丼)- Bowl of rice topped with grilled eel.

Kimosui(肝吸い) - A small bowl of clear soup made from eel livers, often served as part of a set, whose vitamin D content is reputed to be good for the eyesight.

Uzaku(鰻ざく) - grilled eel with sliced cucumber in a sanbaizu (vinegar sauce) dressing.

Shirayaki(白焼き)- plain grilled eel without basting sauce for flavourings. This is usually eaten with a dip of plain soy sauce (shoyu) with wasabi.

Unagi Sushi(鰻寿司)- finger pieces of eel on rice sushi style.

Japanese Floating Lantern Paper Festival

Japanese Floating Lntern Paper Festival or also known as Tōrō nagashi (灯籠流し) is a Japanese ceremony in which participants float paper lanterns down a river. This is primarily done on the last evening of the Buddhist festival - Bon Festival, festival based on the belief that this guides the spirits of the departed back to the other world.

The ceremony may be done on some other days of the year for other reasons such as to commemorate those lost in the bombing of Hiroshima and those who died on Japan Airlines Flight 123; or in other areas of the world, such as Hawaii, to commemorate the end of World War II. The Bon Festival takes place on the thirteenth to sixteenth of August or July, depending on the calendar you go by. The white lanterns are for those who have died in the past year. Traditional Japanese beliefs state that humans come from water, so the lanterns represent their bodies returning to water.

Small paper lanterns containing light candles on a wooden or bamboo base are set adrift on calm water. Usually a message is written on the outside of the paper lantern. The purpose of this event is to send off ancestor’s spirits.

Paper lanterns are used often in the folk practices and holidays of the orient, especially in Japan. They can very in form from a simple square or bell shape to elaborate figural shapes representing animals, people or mythological creatures.

The lantern festival the other evening was a three hour affair, with performances of Japanese drummers, Chinese dance, a gospel group, and a lone Scottish bagpiper who played while the lanterns were placed in the pond at sunset.