Monaka

A type of Japanese confectionery. Originally it was a dried confectionery, as the skin of the mochi is called senbei-dane, but in 1805 (Bunka 2), a craftsman at Takemura Ise Daijo in Yoshiwara, Edo, started selling leftover rice cracker dough filled with bean paste, which became a hit, and it became common to put bean paste in mochi, making it a semi-dried confectionery. Due to the history behind the invention of mochi, some people consider it a miscellaneous confectionery and dislike using it as a wedding gift, but today many excellent mochi are made. The skin of mochi is made by kneading glutinous rice flour with water, steaming it, and then cutting it into a thin sheet before baking. The crisp flavor of the skin is what makes it so good. In addition to red bean paste, smooth bean paste, there are also green bean paste, white bean paste, yuzu bean paste, sesame bean paste, brown sugar bean paste, ground tea bean paste, and chestnut bean paste. The shape of the mochi is based on the full moon on the fifteenth night of the lunar calendar, as described in the "Shui Wakashu" (Collection of Poetry), which states, "When I think of the moon shining on the surface of the pond, I realize that this is the middle of autumn" (Minamoto no Shitago). Originally, the shape of the mochi was a full moon, but nowadays it has various shapes and patterns. Famous Monaka include Sodegaura from Shiose in Tokyo, Kuya Monaka, Kisaku Monaka, Shushiki Monaka, Kagasama from Kanazawa in Ishikawa Prefecture, Koin Monaka from Ashikaga in Tochigi Prefecture, Oinotomo from Matsusaka in Mie Prefecture, and Edenotsuki from Takaoka in Toyama Prefecture.

[Fumio Sawa]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

和菓子の一種。最中の皮を煎餅種(せんべいだね)というように、元来は干菓子であったが、1805年（文化2）に江戸・吉原(よしわら)の竹村伊勢大掾(いせだいじょう)の職人が、煎餅種の半端(はんぱ)ものに使い残しの餡(あん)を入れて売り出したのがあたり、最中は餡を入れるのが普通となって半生(なま)菓子になった。最中の考案された経緯から、これを雑菓子とみて引菓子に用いるのを嫌う向きもあるが、現在は優れた最中が多くつくられている。最中の皮は糯米(もちごめ)の粉を水でこねて蒸し、薄くのしたものを丸く切って焼く。ぱりっとした皮の風味が身上(しんじょう)である。餡は小豆(あずき)の粒餡、こし餡のほか、うぐいす餡、白餡、ゆず餡、ごま餡、黒糖餡、ひき茶餡、栗(くり)餡もある。最中の姿は、『拾遺和歌集(しゅういわかしゅう)』に「池の面(も)に照る月なみをかぞふれば　こよひぞ秋の最中なりける」（源順(したごう)）とある陰暦十五夜の満月が天心にかかった形で、円月形が本来だが、いまは形、文様など種々になった。有名な最中には東京の塩瀬の袖(そで)ヶ浦、空也(くうや)最中、喜作(きさく)最中、秋色(しゅうしき)最中、石川県金沢の加賀さま、栃木県足利(あしかが)の古印(こいん)最中、三重県松阪の老伴(おいのとも)、富山県高岡の江出乃月(えでのつき)などがある。

［沢　史生］

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