🍚 Iyachi (Dough made from Glutinous rice steamed and served on Japanese banana leaf)

"Iyachi" is a traditional preserved food from Taketomi Island in the Yaeyama Islands, where glutinous rice is mixed with glutinous millet or red beans and cooked. Taketomi Island is located just a 10-minute boat ride from Ishigaki Island and is known for its tranquil tropical scenery, attracting many tourists. The most significant festival on Taketomi Island is the "Taketomi Seed Festival," which is said to have a history of approximately 600 years. Designated as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan in 1977, this festival involves sowing seeds and praying for a good harvest. It takes place over nine days from "Koshin" days of the 9th and 10th months of the lunar calendar, during which time the locals are busy with festival activities, so they prepare "Iyachi" as a preserved food that can be eaten immediately. ("Koshin" is also called kinoesaru, which is the 57th branch in the Chinese sexagenary cycle for counting days and years. Since it repeats every 60 days, there are six or seven Koshin in a given year. ) During the festival, especially on the days before and after the performance of dedication dances, "Iyachi" is cooked using traditional Okinawan cooking utensils called "Shinmeenabi" (large pot). It is steamed with Japanese banana leaves, giving it a distinctive aroma. Since sweet potatoes were once a staple food, "Iyachi" eaten during the festival was considered a treat for the islanders.