― The mystery of Doyo no Ushi no Hi and stamina
‘Why do Japanese people eat eel in the hot summer?’ This is one of the unique aspects of Japanese food culture. Isn’t this a way of thinking unique to the Japanese, who incorporate the seasons into everything they do?
The contradiction between heat and appetite?
In the middle of summer in Japan, despite the sweltering heat, eel somehow appears on the dinner table…
Why, when it’s so fatty? Why, when it’s so heavy?
Behind this lies the wisdom of Japanese culture, which uses food to get through the changing seasons.
What is Doyo no Ushi no Hi (Doyo no Ushi day)?
• ‘Doyo’ refers to the changing of the seasons based on the Five Elements theory.
• ‘Ushi no Hi’ is one of the twelve signs of the Chinese zodiac.
• The summer ‘Doyō no Ushi no Hi’ typically falls around late July to early August, the hottest time of the year.
Due to the increased likelihood of health issues during this period, the custom of ‘eating nutrient-rich foods to get through the summer’ emerged.
Eel = a universal remedy for summer fatigue?
• Rich in vitamins A, B complex, D, and E
• Contains high-quality fats and has been regarded as a food that replenishes stamina
• Additionally, there is a folk belief that ‘black, slippery things are good for the body.’
Actually… Hiraga Gennai’s marketing strategy!?
We have explained it as wisdom for surviving the hot summer, but in fact…
During the Edo period, when eel shops were struggling to sell eel in the summer, it is said that the scholar Hiraga Gennai suggested, ‘If you post a sign saying “Today is Doyō no Ushi no Hi,” it will sell.’
In fact, it was a clever strategy to sell eel that wasn’t selling well during the hot summer. But when you think about it, eating fatty eel during the hot summer is said to give you energy, and that’s exactly right.
While there are various theories about this story, it is sometimes cited as the beginning of ‘event-based eating.’
The wisdom of summer embedded in the taste of eel
• The reverse thinking of eating ‘hot and heavy foods’ precisely because it’s hot
• Overcoming the seasons through food: the physical sensibility and wisdom of the Japanese people
• Even today, eel is a staple of summer, lining the shelves of supermarkets and convenience stores.
While some people overseas may find eel ‘gross’ or lack a culture of eating it,
in Japan, it’s seen as a ‘little luxury, a seasonal treat.’
When visiting Japan during the hot summer, be sure to try eel!
Unlocking Japan’s everyday riddles
-Where Japan’s quirks make sense-
