It is said that it is "winter fruit", and does it come first? "Mikan put on kotatsu"! There may not be many people answering that way.

This time we will feature "Mikan" which can be said to be "Japan's winter tradition". In fact, did you know that "Mikan is the leading character at festivals across Japan?" Furthermore, even overseas, it is "Mikan = good fortune".

Along with such "Mikan Festival", I also examined how to eat oranges sweetly and deliciously!

I wonder, "What is the main role of the festival? What kind of festival is it ?!" First of all, let's pick up a Japanese festival of the “to throw oranges” type.

KanagawaIn Kashiwa City, a festival called "Kotsubo oranges throwing" is held on January 2 every year (* 1).

"Kotsubo oranges throwing" is one of the eight major dragon king company festivals. It is to be thrown in for one year of good fishing and safety on the sea, and it is a man dedicated to Ryukyu-sama. Throw this from a fishing boat in Kotsubo fishing port and act to many people. On the morning of the 2nd, Mikan throwing started before the fishermen's co-op. After that, oranges are thrown from the ship one after another.

写真をよく見ると、参加者がみかんをキャッチしようと両手を伸ばしているのがわかるはず。みかんが宙に放られるたび、大きな歓声が湧くそうです。

That is also true, the festival's orange is called "celebration orange," and is enjoyed as an anecdote for abduction and invitation. Through the oranges, we all share a year of prayer and happiness .... It is a very warm festival, isn't it?

Tangerine throwing is a big success at "Tour chase festival" in Nakanojo-cho, Agatsuma-gun, Gunma Prefecture (* 2).

This festival is said to have started off in pursuit of birds and beasts that destroy crops in the fields, and wishing for a rich harvest, good luck in the town, and family safety. It has been held for many years on January 14 of the lunar new year, and it is designated as Gunma important intangible folk cultural property.

当日は、大きな「鳥追い太鼓」を乗せた山車が、何台も連なって登場。太鼓を打ち鳴らし、「鳥追いだ、鳥追いだ、唐土（とっと）の鳥を追いもうせ、セッセッセ、サーラバよって追いもうせ」の勇壮な掛け声とともに、町内を練り歩きます。午前中から夜まで行なわれ、参加者も太鼓を打ち鳴らせるそう。

And in each place, "Fuku mankan throwing" is! People of the evil year and the people of the shops are throwing, and it is put in the wish of the evil drop and business prosperity. Among them, until the spot where you can throw a lucky "Ming luck try?"

ほかに長野県諏訪市の八劔神社なども、みかんを投げる祭をしているそうです。各地の祭で、みかんは福を呼ぶ果実とされてきたんですね。

"Dontoyaki" which still remains in every country all over the country. It is held around January 15 of the New Year's Day, and it is a custom to bake New Year decorations, etc., both in bamboo and straw. Here, oranges appear in the form of surprise (?) Rather than "throw"!

Yes, I bake oranges with the bonfire of "Donyaki". There are also areas where you can eat dumplings and chopsticks in "Donyaki". That's the orange version.

The "Swan Shrine" in Higashi-Kagawa City, Kagawa Prefecture, is known for burning oranges at December's "Fire Festival", which burns old tools. That is why the festival is called Omikanyaki.

When baking, stick the whole skin with the persimmon, until it gets browned. By doing this, the inside will be steamed, and sweetness will increase. If the skin is clean, you can also eat it with the skin. If you are concerned, why not try to imitate "Mikani" using a pan or net.

Oh yeah, as well as baking, soaking for about 10 minutes in hot water at around 40 ° C, or making cuts in the skin and heating for about 30 seconds in a microwave oven is also effective in sweetening oranges. It's also possible to throw it with both hands like a handball and hate it just before eating (* 3). By adding heat and stimulation, it seems that the enzyme that breaks down the citric acid that is the source of acidity works and sweetness is improved. This winter, try it by all means ...!

When it turns out that there are festivals and customs related to oranges in various places in Japan, it is the place known as the orange production area that comes to mind. Currently, the production area of orangesTop2 is Wakayama prefecture and Ehime prefecture (※ 4), but ....

First of all, there was a shrine in Wakayama prefecture where "the god of oranges and sweets" is enshrined! The deity of such "Tachibana Honjin Shrine" is Tadoma Morimoto (* 5). It is a person who is said to have returned to Japan, looking for Tachibana (a source of oranges), which was believed to have the power of immortality. It is believed that the company is located in Shimonozu Town, Hainan City, where it is the first place in Japan where Tachibana was planted.

Tachibana is a fruit used to be processed and enjoyed by the common people long ago when sugar was hard to come by. Because of this, she is also said to be the god of sweets.

10月には、みかんの豊作と商売繁盛を願う「みかんまつり」が執り行われ、有名メーカーからのお菓子や、みかんが奉納されているんですよ。

On the other hand, in Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture, the “Ehime Mikan Festival” is held every January (* 6). Even in the 20th year of 2019, which is the 41st year of the year, popular events and yearning (?!) "Ponjuice faucet", "Mikan Suitsuki", "Mikan early meeting" and other unique events are plentiful (January 19, 2019・ Held on the 20th)

By the way, this is an event sponsored by JA All Farmer Ehime, Ehime Prefecture Fruit Tree Association, Ehime Prefecture, etc. As it is, "Mikan Prefecture" Ehime Prefecture, I have no choice but to enjoy oranges.

Although it is a Japanese winter character, it is also used as a lucky symbol overseas.

例えば、中国の春節（旧正月）には、大小さまざまなみかんの木が、門松のように各所に飾られるんです。そして、贈り物にもみかんが使われることも。みかんを中国語にすると、「橘子（中国語で『ヂィー ヅゥ』と発音）」「蜜柑（同、『ミィー ガァン』と発音）」など。このうち「橘」は中国南部で「吉（同、『ヂィー』）」と発音が似ていて、「蜜柑」も「金（同、『ヂィン』）」や「吉」と発音が似ている……とのことで、みかん＝縁起物となっているのだとか。

In Japan, the fruits are placed on the Kagami Pass on New Year's Day. Are are citrus fruits that are not oranges, but "orange"Here). Not only so-called oranges but also other citrus fruits are used in China. Similar Chinese orange ornaments can be seen in Malaysia and Singapore, where Chinese culture is rich.

In Hong Kong, a tree called “Hai-ki-ki,” which carries out “Mikan-jumping” to entrust each wish, is very popular as a tourist attraction! It has been said that since ancient times, it was a tree that was being prayed at the time of the festival, and there is a legend that the wish comes true as it reaches the high branch ... to wish to the strip tied to the orange.

Currently, it is possible to apply for oranges all year round, as well as in spring season. However, because old wood was broken due to the weight of oranges in the past, it might be substituted with a toy orange.

海外でも各地で、“みかん＝福を招き、願いを運んでくれるもの”とされているんですね。

In so many places, it is surely proof that mandarin orange is used for festivals and events since it has been a familiar fruit from old times! In this winter, JR East will be able to enjoy the familiarity and ease of oranges ＜ekinaka＞ It is in" acureEven in the vending machine of ", I prepared a drink of 100% orange juice. that name as well"【Juice】Ehime mikan"!

This mandarin orange juice, alimasense in a mere 100% juice. "Mikan prefecture" It uses plenty of Wenzhou orange in Ehime prefecture, and "in-line squeezing machine" squeezes delicious juice. "In-line squeezing machine" is a machine that squeezes the skin, endothelium and fruits separately. When the oranges are squeezed together to the peel, the oil and juice of the peel are mixed. However, if it takes time and effort to squeeze separately, the taste of the flesh is just the juice! You can taste the sweetness & moderate acidity unique to oranges, which is different from oranges.

Every winter is limited【Juice】Ehime mikanBut, "We want to deliver the taste of the season to all of you early!", Start selling from December ahead of the average year. The mark is a bottle with orange fruits drawn in the winter landscape.

When you are thirsty, of course, it is also recommended to make a match drink (?!) In the hope of rewards and fortunes for yourself. After all, oranges are old-fashioned east-west, "fruit carrying good luck"! For those who work hard even on cold days, it should be appreciated as a casual offer. It will be fun to enjoy Chinese New Year's Eve, and to be a petty New Year's card for colleagues. At that time, please share with us the Coneta of oranges introduced this time.

※ 1 "Kotsubo oranges throwing" (KanagawaShishi City)
http://www.city.zushi.kanagawa.jp/syokan/keizai/kankou/nenchu.html
※ 2 "Torimu Festival" (Gunma Prefecture Agatsuma-gun Nakanojo-cho)
https://www.nakanojo-kanko.jp/saijiki/torioi.shtml
* 3 From "Fruit Book of Fruits" (Takahashi Shoten)
※ From 4 Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries from "2016 Fruit Tree Production and Shipping Statistics Resulting Area by Prefecture"
https://www.e-stat.go.jp/stat-search/files?lid=000001196843&layout=datalist
※ 5 Wakayama Prefecture Tourism Federation
https://www.wakayama-kanko.or.jp/event/detail.php?id=6053
※ 6 “Ehime Mikan Festival” (host: Ehime Prefecture, JA All Farm Ehime, Ehime fruit tree association, Ehime Shimbun)
http://www.eh.zennoh.or.jp/

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