A vegetational study on the plant leave wrapping Kashiwamochi and Chimaki

Abstract

Kashiwamochi and Chimaki are traditional types of rice dumpling that are offered to gods during the Boys' Festival in Japan. The former is stuffed with azuki bean jam and wrapped mostly in one or two leaves, and the latter is wrapped wholly in a few leaves without bean jam. We investigated the species name of the leaves used for wrapping these dumplings, the local names of the dumplings, and other related issues by reference to publications and a questionnaire conducted in 424 localities ranging from Okinawa Prefecture to Aomori Prefecture. We then checked the species whose leaves were used for wrapping the dumplings in relation to their geographical distributions, habitats, and plant communities (phytosociological rank), on the basis of published papers. It was found that 17 and 21 species were used for wrapping Kashiwamochi and Chimaki, respectively. Representative species used for wrapping Kashiwamochi were Smilax china (128 localities), Quercus dentata (57 localities), Magnolia obovata (7 localities), and Zingiber mioga (7 localities). Smilax china was used mainly in Western Japan and to a small extent in the Kanto district and on Sado Island. Quercus dentata was used throughout the Kanto district. Representative species used for wrapping Chimaki were Sasa spp. (108 localities), Phragmites communis (28 localities), Miscanthus sinensis (22 localities), Phyllostachys spp. (14 localities), Zizania latifolia (8 localities), and Alpinia speciosa (7 localities). Sasa spp. were mostly used in the districts along the Sea of Japan coast. Miscanthus sinensis, Phragmites communis, and Zizania latifolia were used in the districts along the Pacific coast. Phyllostachys spp. and Alpinia speciosa were used mainly in southern Kyushu and Okinawa Prefecture, respectively. Except for Quercus dentata, the species used for wrapping dumplings were distributed in the neighborhood of the villages and grew in the common communities ranked Rosetea multiflorae, Carpino-Quercion serratae, Pinion densiflorae, Miscanthetea sinensis, and Phragmitetea, which composed the rural landscape.