🍚 Gonjuu (Pork Belly Rice Ball)

"Gonjuu" is a local dish in the southern region of Chiba Prefecture, in which pork belly and fried thin tofu are sweetened with mirin(=sweet rice wine) and soy sauce and then mixed with rice to create onigiri (rice balls). This regional specialty has been enjoyed in the area around Tateyama City for a long time. Traditionally, October of the lunar calendar has been considered a month when all the myriad gods gather in the Izumo region, and it is known as Kannazuki , the month without gods, in various parts of Japan. In the Chiba region, especially in Awa Province (current southern Chiba), people used to pray for the safety of those who set out on a pilgrimage to Izumo and ate “Gonjuu” before departing. In contemporary times, “Gonjuu” is served to the young participants carrying the mikoshi (portable shrine) during the Tsuruya Hachimangu Shrine Reitaisai “Yawatanmachi,” an autumn festival. Yawatanmachi is the largest festival in the Awa region, held for over a thousand years. It spans two days, attracting a crowd of around 100,000 people. The Tsuruya Hachimangu Shrine, which was once the head shrine of Awa Province and even held festivals organized by the provincial governor, is now designated as an intangible cultural asset of Chiba Prefecture. Yawatanmachi takes place in September, during the lingering heat of early autumn. Despite the challenging conditions, the “Gonjuu” served to the mikoshi carriers is believed to be safe from food poisoning, as the ingredients are thoroughly cooked before being mixed with rice.