July 03, 2007
HOZUKI-ICHI - WINTER CHERRY FAIR
The winter cherry or Chinese lantern plant grows about
70cm (27.5 in.) tall and is related to the eggplant.
It bears white flowers from June to July; thereafter the
sepals grow together into a sack 4-5 cm (1.5-1.9 in.) long
enfolding the fruit.
These turn a bright orange-red when ripe.
The fruit inside is about 2 cm (0.8 in.) in diameter.
They just look like a lot of little red lamps hanging among
the green leaves.
There's Hozuki Fair every year on July 9th and 10th at
Sensoji Temple in Asakusa. The 10th is called '46,000 Day',
and visiting the temple then is supposed to bring as much
spiritual merit as 46,000 ordinary visits.
On that day the temple grounds are packed with worshippers
and people who come to buy Hozuki.
In the old days people believed that Hozuki would dispel
children's crankiness and women's cramps. So the throngs
that came to pray at the temple on '46,000 Day' all bought
Hozuki.
Children play with them, too. Inside the lantern is a soft
fruit. You loosen the seeds by squeezing it gently, and
carefully press them out. Then inside your mouth, blow air
into the empty skin and flatten it with your tongue to make
a noise.
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The winter cherry or Chinese lantern plant grows about
70cm (27.5 in.) tall and is related to the eggplant.
It bears white flowers from June to July; thereafter the
sepals grow together into a sack 4-5 cm (1.5-1.9 in.) long
enfolding the fruit.
These turn a bright orange-red when ripe.
The fruit inside is about 2 cm (0.8 in.) in diameter.
They just look like a lot of little red lamps hanging among
the green leaves.
There's Hozuki Fair every year on July 9th and 10th at
Sensoji Temple in Asakusa. The 10th is called '46,000 Day',
and visiting the temple then is supposed to bring as much
spiritual merit as 46,000 ordinary visits.
On that day the temple grounds are packed with worshippers
and people who come to buy Hozuki.
In the old days people believed that Hozuki would dispel
children's crankiness and women's cramps. So the throngs
that came to pray at the temple on '46,000 Day' all bought
Hozuki.
Children play with them, too. Inside the lantern is a soft
fruit. You loosen the seeds by squeezing it gently, and
carefully press them out. Then inside your mouth, blow air
into the empty skin and flatten it with your tongue to make
a noise.
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