🍱 Atsuage no Nitano

The largest event of the year in Jodo Shinshu Buddhism, called Hoonko, takes place from fall to New Year's around the anniversary of sect founder Shinran's death (November 28 in the lunar calendar, January 16 in the Gregorian calendar); in Fukui Prefecture, it is called Honkosan or Okosama. Touching on Shinran's teachings, people eat vegetarian Buddhist cuisine with the intent to devote themselves religiously once again. In Fukui Prefecture, which is ardent in its faith in Jodo Shinshu, meals during Hoonko were accompanied by atsuage (called aburaage in Fukui Prefecture), which were considered a treat. In every neighborhood, there was at least one house which was a tofu seller, and people would exchange soybeans for tofu or aburaage. It is said that even in typical homes, dishes which used atsuage spread easily. In Fukui Prefecture, where the consumption of aburaage was no. 1 for over 50 years (Family Budget Survey (Households of Two or More People) Prefectural Capital City and Ordinance-Designated City Rankings by Item (2017-2019 Annual Average) Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications Statistics Bureau), aburaage indicates thick fried tofu with a hefty mass, also called “atsuage” in other prefectures; since one can obtain and taste a variety of types, each household apparently has its own favorite “atsuage.”