🍱 Akumaki
“Akumaki” is a traditional snack eaten on “Tango no Sekku,” also known as Children's Day, and is sometimes called “chimaki.” It is said that Yoshihiro Shimazu of Satsuma first took the “mochi” (=Japanese rice cake) with him during the Battle of Sekigahara because it remained edible for several days and was satisfying to eat, making it suitable to carry during battles. It is also said that Saigo Takamori ate “akumaki” during the Satsuma Rebellion. People began to eat “akumaki” for “Tango no Sekku” with hopes of raising strong boys. “Akumaki” is made with glutinous rice and lye, made with the ashes from burned wood and bamboo. Glutinous rice is soaked in lye water and then wrapped in bamboo leaves. After that, it is cooked for a few hours in lye water. Lye contains alkaline substances which make the glutinous rice soft and prevents the growth of bacteria, making it a suitable preserved food. Kagoshima prefecture has a hot and humid climate and food often went bad, which is why “akumaki” became a popular traditional dish.