Manjū: Difference between revisions

{{Short description|Japanese confection}}

{{Italic title|reason=[[:Category:Japanese words and phrases]]}}

{{Expand Japanese|topic=cult|饅頭|date=October 2012}}

{{More citations needed|date=November 2007}}

{{Infobox food

| name = ''Manjū''

| image_size = 250px

| type = ''[[Wagashi]]''

{{Nihongo|'''''Manjū'''''|饅頭||{{Nihongo2|まんじゅう}}}} is a traditional [[wagashi|Japanese confection]]. Of the many varieties of manjū, most have an outside made from [[flour]], [[rice]] powder, [[kudzu]], and [[buckwheat]], and a filling of ''anko'' ([[red bean paste]]), usually made from boiled [[adzuki bean]]s and sugar. ''Manjū'' is sometimes made with other fillings such as chestnut jam. In [[Hawaii]], one can find [[Okinawa]]n ''manjū ''that are made with a filling of purple [[sweet potato]], butter, milk, sugar, and salt, but the most common filling is bean paste, of which the several varieties include ''koshian'', ''tsubuan'', and ''tsubushian''.

Manju is a traditional Japanese flour-based pastry (instead of rice-based like [[mochi]]). During the [[Kamakura period]] (1185-1333), Japanese Buddhist monks who studied in the [[Song Dynasty]] brought the tea culture to Japan, and the custom of eating confections with tea began in Japan.

The monks also introduced {{nihongo3|[[dim sum]]|点心|tenshin}}, a light meal, and the history book {{nihongo3||[[:ja:庭訓往来|庭訓往来]]|Teikun ōrai}} mentions {{nihongo3||饂飩|[[udon]]}}, {{nihongo3||饅頭|manjū}}, and {{nihongo3||羊羹|[[yōkan]]}} as {{nihongo3||点心|tenshin}}.

It is believed that the first monk was Shoichi Kokushi also known as [[Enni|Enni-Ben'en]] who introduced manjū production techniques in Hakata, Fukuoka Prefecture in 1241. He built [[Joten-ji]] Temple of the Rinzai sect in Hakata upon his return from Song China and taught a manjū recipe to a teahouse owner who was always kind to him when he went around Mt. Aratsu, to the west of Hakata, for takuhatsu (a traditional form of begging, common to Buddhist monks in Japan). At that time, he gave the teahouse owner a hand-written signboard saying "omanju dokoro (place to eat manju)", which is now in the possession of Toraya Kurokawa in Akasaka, Tokyo. There is also a stone monument in the garden of [[Joten-ji]] temple that commemorates the introduction of manjū to Japan.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.japanesewiki.com/culture/Manju%20(Bun%20stuffed%20with%20filling).html|title=Manju (Bun stuffed with filling) (饅頭)| work=www.japanesewiki.com| access-date=16 June 2024}}</ref>

[[File:Monument of birthplace of manju and udon.jpg|thumb|Stone monuments commemorating the introduction of udon, soba (left side) and manjū (right side) at [[Joten-ji]] Temple in Hakata]]

However, the manjū and yōkan brought to Japan by the monks were not sweets as we know them today, but were prepared in a completely different way.<ref name="ndl1"/> At that time, manjū was not a confection, did not contain red bean paste, and was not sweet. The history book {{nihongo3||[[:ja:宗五大草紙|宗五大草紙]]|Sōgo ōzōshi}} clearly describes manjū as a dish eaten with [[chopsticks]] along with soup and pickles. Later, manjū changed from a light meal to a confection to suit Japanese tastes. In the [[Muromachi period]] (1336-1573), {{nihongo3||[[:ja:職人歌合|職人歌合画本]]|Shokunin utaai ehon}} depicted sweet manjū made with sugar. This manjū is considered the prototype of today's manjū.<ref name="ndl1">{{cite web|url=https://www.ndl.go.jp/kaleido/entry/25/1.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240222142945/https://www.ndl.go.jp/kaleido/entry/25/1.html|script-title=ja:駆け足でたどる和菓子の歴史|language=ja|publisher=[[National Diet Library]]|date=|archive-date=22 February 2024|access-date=22 February 2024}}</ref>

[[File:Mizumanju 1.JPG|thumb|right|{{nihongo|''Mizu manjū''|水饅頭}}]]

[[File:薄皮饅頭_Usukawa_manju.jpg|thumb|{{nihongo|''Usukawa manjū''|薄皮饅頭}}]]

Of the myriad varieties of ''manjū'', some more common than others.

* ''[[Mizu]]'' (water) ''manjū'' is traditionally eaten in the summertime and contains a flavored bean filling. The exterior of the ''mizu manjū'' is made with [[Kuzuko|''kuzu ''starch]], which gives the dough a translucent, jelly-like appearance.<ref>Schilling, Christine (2007). "Translator's Notes." in Kirishima, Takeru (2002). ''Kanna Volume 2''. California: Go! Comi (Go! Media Entertainment, LLC). {{ISBN|978-1-933617-56-5}}</ref>

* Also, ''manjū'' can have different flavored fillings, such as orange-flavored cream.

* As is the case with many Japanese foods, in some parts of Japan, one can find ''manjū'' unique to that region, such as the maple leaf-shaped ''[[momiji manjū]]'' in Hiroshima and Miyajima.

* The regional variety of the Saitama prefecture is called Jumangoku ''manjū''.

* ''[[Daifuku]]''

* [[List of Japanese desserts and sweets]]

* ''[[Mamador]]''

* ''[[Mantou]]'' ({{nihongo2|饅頭}}, Chinese plain steamed bun), etymologically the origin of the word, although in modern Chinese the term for filled buns is ''[[baozi]]''

* [[Manti (dumpling)|''Manti'']] (Turkic) and [[mandu (food)|''mandu'']] (Korean), filled dumplings with the names being cognate with ''mantou'' and ''manjū''

* ''[[Momiji manjū|Momiji Manju]]''

* ''[[Nikuman]]''

* [[Tangyuan (food)|''Tangyuan'']]

* ''[[Kozhukkatta]]'' is a steamed dumpling made from rice flour, with a filling of grated coconut, jaggery, or chakkavaratti in South India.

{{Reflist}}

== External links ==

* {{Commons category-inline|Manjū}}

* [https://www.usukawa.com/ Kashiwaya] (Japanese)

* [https://www.instagram.com/usukawa.manju/ Kashiwaya Usukawa Manju](Instagram)

{{Japanese food and drink}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Manju}}