OSAKA, Sept. 17 — As Harvest Moon, the full moon nearest the autumnal equinox, appeared on Sept. 17, production of tsukimi dango — rice dumplings that are traditionally displayed and eaten in Japan during the tsukimi moon-viewing festivals — is in full swing at Kouseido, a Japanese sweets shop in Osaka.
During the moon-viewing festivals, which celebrate the rice harvesting season, the white, round dumplings are piled in a pyramid shape as an offering to the moon.
The shop offers two types of dumplings — those shaped like rabbits and ones covered with anko sweet red bean paste, resembling a moon shrouded in clouds. In Japan, the dark outline visible on a full moon is regarded as rabbits — considered as creatures that ward off evil spirits — pounding mochi rice cake.
Kouseido uses rice powder made of Koshihikari variety rice grown in Hyogo Prefecture and red beans from Tokachi, Hokkaido, to create dumplings with refined, subtle sweetness.
It plans to produce a total of roughly 3,000 dumplings, sold at 110 yen each, up to the second moon-viewing festival to celebrate the waxing gibbous moon, which falls on Oct. 15 this year.
“We hope people will enjoy the dumplings and feel the coming of autumn,” a shop manager said.
Tsukimi dango dumplings produced in Osaka