momiji – Susan Spann, Adventure, Mystery, and Mountains

Hunting the Holy Grail of Japanese Snack Foods

Susan Spann Blog April 18, 2017November 8, 2017Japan, Mino Park, Minoh, momiji, momiji tempura, photography, tempura, tempura maple leaves

Last Sunday was my turn at Murder is Everywhere, so I took the blog in search of one of Japan’s most elusive seasonal treats. Click over and see where the journey took me, and what it was I set out to find…

Momijigari – Leaf Hunting in Japan

Susan Spann Blog December 12, 2016November 8, 2017autumn, autumn foliage, foliage, Japan, leaves, momiji, photography, travel

In Japan, “momijigari” or hunting colorful autumn leaves, has been a popular autumn pastime for hundreds of years. In my post at Murder is Everywhere this week, I’m taking a closer look at momijigari, and offering some photos from my recent research trip to Japan. Fortunately, you don’t have to hunt very hard to find the post – just click this link.

Traditional Japanese Cakes (and Temple Approaches)

Susan Spann Blog November 28, 2016November 8, 2017adzuki beans, azuki bean, Buddhism, cakes, Japan, momiji, Sensoji, temples, Tokyo

The approaches to many of Japan’s Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples are lined with vendors selling a variety of edible and non-edible treats.

In Search of: Momiji Tempura (Fried Maple Leaves)

Susan Spann Blog October 4, 2016November 8, 2017eating leaves, Japan, leaves, maple leaves, Mino Park, momiji, momiji tempura, Osaka, tempura, travel

Momijigari, or “viewing autumn leaves,” is a traditional Japanese pastime during the autumn months, when many Japanese trees (including maples, ginko, and other deciduous species) transform from lush, green summer tones: Japanese cuisine is seasonal by nature, and autumn favorites like roasted sweet potatoes (yaki-imo) and chestnuts begin to appear as the season turns. Regional specialties appear in autumn, too, including one I’m hoping to try when I head to Japan later this month: tempura maple leaves (momiji no tempura), a specialty served at Minō Park in Northern Osaka. The maple leaves are pickled in salt for a year, and then fried in a sweetened sesame batter, producing