This is Nanagusa-gayu (七草粥).
It's tradition in Japan to eat this on January 7th.
It's a dish of rice porridge with
seven different types of wild herbs.
Nanagusa means seven herbs in Japanese.
It's an old tradition that came to Japan from China
sometime during the Heian Period (794-1192).
We eat this in hopes for a healthy new year.
My mom also told me that the reason we have this tradition is because
we pretty much celebrate the new year by eating and drinking.
And we eat this rice porridge because it's easily digested
and our poor overworked stomach can get some rest.
Plus the herbs are good for you.
The seven herbs are:
Seri: Japanese Parsley
Nazuna: Shepard's Purse
Gogyo: Jersey Cudweed
Hakobera: Common Chickweed
Hotokenoza: Nipplewort
Suzuna: Turnip
Suzushiro: Radish
