| KYOTO, Aug. 4 – The Anraku-ji Temple in Sakyo Ward, Kyoto, held a Shishigatani Squash (Kabocha) Memorial Dedication on July 25. It is a traditional event with a history of about 230 years, supported by local farmers, that serves visitors simmered squash and prays for their health.At 6:00 in the morning, Chief Priest Koujun Ito, 39, and approximately 50 local Buddhist parishioners began cooking squashes in large deep pots for approximately 1,000 visitors. The sweet aroma of simmering kabocha and the lively sound of cutting their hard skin filled the air around the temple. They used a traditional vegetable in Kyoto called Shishigatani Kabocha, a squash with a distinct gourd-like shape.
According to local legend, consuming Shishigatani Kabocha during mid-summer would prevent people from getting paralysis (chufu in Japanese). So, many people visit the temple for this annual event. There was a long line of people at 9 a.m., when the temple opened its gate to start serving a large piece of sweet, simmered squash to each of these visitors.
Back in the 1790s, a local farmer brought back squash seeds from his visit to Aomori Prefecture. He planted the seeds and noticed they had produced distinctive gourd-like squashes due to a mutation. Then, the cultivation spread in the region, and the temple began hosting the event to cook locally-grown squashes and serve them to visitors to help them fight against the chufu disease.
Chieko Takemiya, 66, comes to the event every year from Hyogo Prefecture. “I am happy that I could make it again this year. I want to cope with this hot summer by eating kabocha squash,” she said and smiled.
Shishigatani Kabocha, the central part of the event, is currently produced in very limited areas. One of the growers, Kiyohiro Harada, 70, makes them at his 7-are farm in Nantan City. Despite protective measures like electric fences, they remain vulnerable to damage from wild animals. So, he produces them in three different areas to avoid a complete loss of this vital part of the event. This year, he cultivated approximately 300 kilograms of Shishigatani Squashes and delivered them to the Anraku-ji Temple. “They are good in shape and number,” he said with a relieved look on his face.
“As long as I have the strength, I would like to continue cultivating them and support this traditional event,” he said enthusiastically.
 Shishigatani Squashes, cut in half, were waiting for the next step in the process. (in Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture) |
