Kahei - Kahei

…Dried persimmons are extremely sweet because the astringency of the tannin cells is no longer directly felt by the tongue when they are dried in the sun, and because the sugar concentration increases, they are extremely sweet, and for this reason they have been an important sweet food since ancient times. In the Engishiki, it is written that dried persimmons were used as offerings and offerings in religious festivals, and it is also seen that they were used as an ingredient in kahei (rice cakes), which became the prototype of modern-day Japanese sweets. The dried persimmons were counted in units of ren, but it is unclear whether they were hanging persimmons or skewered persimmons. …

*Some of the terminology that refers to "kamochi" is listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…干柿は，日干しによるタンニン細胞の変化で，渋みが直接舌にふれなくなり，かつ糖分濃度が高まるためきわめて甘く，そのため古くから重要な甘味食品であった。《延喜式》には〈干柿子〉と書かれ，神祭の供物や供御などとして用いられていたことが記載されており，その中には，いまの和菓子の祖型ともなった菓餅（かへい）の材料にもされたことが見られる。その〈干柿子〉は〈連〉を単位として数えられていたが，つるし柿か串柿かははっきりしない。…

※「菓餅」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典 第２版について | 情報