During the spring and autumnal Equinox, the Japanese celebrate a week-long holiday called higan (彼岸). The week starts three days before the equinox and ends three days after the equinox.
The spring higan is to pay respects to nature and all life while the autumn higan is to pay respects to one’s ancestors.
As a form of paying respect, ohagi is offered to the alter in autumn and botamochi in the spring.
Though the name differs, ohagi and botamochi are actually the same wagashi: glutinous rice coated with various flavors. The names come from the hagi flower (Japanese bush clover) which blossoms in autumn and botan (peony) a flower that blooms in the spring. Typical flavors are smooth red bean an (koshian), chunky red bean an (tsubuan), roasted soy bean and black sesame. Red beans are harvested in autumn so the skin is still soft, making it perfect for the chunky an ohagi. In contrast, by spring, the bean has completely dried out so smooth an botamochi is typical.
Ohagi that are covered with other flavors have an in the center wrapped with glutinous rice then generously powdered with the flavor of choice. Those that are covered in an have glutinous rice in the center.
They are usually oval shaped but there are size variations according to the season and geographic location.
Peonies are large flowers so the spring botamochi are typically larger than the autumn ohagi.
The ohagi and botan exemplifies how the Japanese appreciate nature. The proclivity to find and give meaning to each detail gives these wagashi its significance.
In recent years, however, some specialty stores like takeno-to-ohagi sell bite-sized round shaped ones in seasonal flavors all year round.
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