Millet - Setaria italica

Japanese: アワ(粟) - アワ（英語表記）Setaria italica

An annual grass of the Gramineae family. The stem is about 1.5m tall, and the alternate leaves are broadly lanceolate with fine sawtooth and thick. From summer to autumn, it produces 10-20cm long tail-like ears that ripen to yellow, purple, or brown. The grains are spherical and are the smallest of all grains. It has been cultivated in northern China since ancient times, and has been eaten regularly in northeastern China and the northern part of the Korean Peninsula since ancient times. It is thought that the original species is green foxtail grass, and it was probably introduced to Japan from China. It has been valued as one of the five grains along with rice and wheat since ancient times, and there are stories about its origin and cultivation in the Kojiki (Kojiki, Nihon Shoki), Fudoki, and Manyoshu. In 693, an article encouraging cultivation was written, and in the Nara period, it was allowed to be paid as a regular tax instead of rice. During the Heian period, the main production areas were Tanba and Awa provinces, but in the early modern period, its uses spread and it was used for rice, mochi, candy, sake, medicine, etc. It was also used as a famine relief crop because it is drought-resistant, grows well in poor soil, and has a short growing period. There are various varieties, such as glutinous, non-glutinous, early-season, and late-season. It is rarely cultivated as a staple food, but it is used as an ingredient in confectionery and shochu (Awamori, especially famous in Okinawa and Kagoshima), as food for small birds, and the stems and leaves are used as livestock feed.

Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia About Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia Information

Japanese:

イネ科の一年草。茎の高さ 1.5m内外，互生する葉は幅の広い披針形で細かな鋸歯があり，質は厚い。夏から秋にかけて，長さ 10～20cmの尾状の穂をつけ，黄色，紫，褐色などに熟する。穀果は球形で，穀類中最小。華北ではきわめて古くから栽培の歴史があり，中国東北や朝鮮半島北部でも古くから常食されてきた。エノコログサが原種と考えられる作物で，日本にはおそらく中国から渡来したと考えられる。米，ムギなどとともに五穀の一つとして古来重視され，「記紀」（→『古事記』『日本書紀』）「風土記」『万葉集』にその発生説話，栽培記などがある。持統7（693）年に栽培奨励の記事があり，奈良時代には，米の代わりに正税として納めることが認められた。平安時代には丹波国，阿波国が主産地で，近世に入ると使途が広まり，飯，餅，飴，酒，薬用などに多用され，また干魃に強く，やせ地にもよく育って，しかも生育期間が短いところから，救荒作物としても利用された。品種にもち，うるち，早稲，おくてなどがある。主食用としてはほとんど栽培されなくなったが，菓子類や焼酎（泡盛，特に沖縄県，鹿児島県で有名）などの原料，小鳥の餌などに用いられ，茎や葉は家畜の飼料とされている。

出典　ブリタニカ国際大百科事典小項目事典ブリタニカ国際大百科事典小項目事典について　情報

<<: Foam - Awa (English spelling) foam

>>: Along Bay - Along Wan (English name) Vinh A Long