The mournful chant of stone-roasted sweet potato seller advertising his wares belongs to late fall and winter landscape in Japan. Originating in South or Central America, the sweet potato entered Japan sometimes in 16th c. and ever since holds a spacial place in its culture and history. Cultivation of satsumaimo or sweet potato quickly grew in Southern Japan areas of Kyushu. While in 18th c. rice crops failed, sweet potato saved people from dying of famine as far as in Kanto region. This is why in many parts of Japan potato digging became the rite of the fall. Braving the cold to rush out and buying a piping hot sweet potato wrapped in the newspaper, holding it in freezing hands, blowing on it to cool it down while saying Achi! Achi! (Hot!Hot!) became a popular scene in many movies and commercials. Eating sweet potato has a side effect though which every connoisseur knows quite well, it produces winds!
Sunday, November 27, 2011
sweet winter warmer
The mournful chant of stone-roasted sweet potato seller advertising his wares belongs to late fall and winter landscape in Japan. Originating in South or Central America, the sweet potato entered Japan sometimes in 16th c. and ever since holds a spacial place in its culture and history. Cultivation of satsumaimo or sweet potato quickly grew in Southern Japan areas of Kyushu. While in 18th c. rice crops failed, sweet potato saved people from dying of famine as far as in Kanto region. This is why in many parts of Japan potato digging became the rite of the fall. Braving the cold to rush out and buying a piping hot sweet potato wrapped in the newspaper, holding it in freezing hands, blowing on it to cool it down while saying Achi! Achi! (Hot!Hot!) became a popular scene in many movies and commercials. Eating sweet potato has a side effect though which every connoisseur knows quite well, it produces winds!
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