November 7 is Ritto, 立冬, the beginning of winter in the traditional 24 solar terms on the Japanese calendar.
The weather pattern shifts to Seiko Totei (西高東低), characterized by high pressure in the west and low pressure in the east. The strong Siberian High-pressure system dominates the Eurasian continent, generating winds that blow from the high-pressure zone toward the low-pressure area.
This chilly wind blowing over Japan is known as kogarashi, autumn gale. The kogarashi wind reminds me of my childhood, evoking the iconic late-autumn song, 'Takibi'.
Takibi is making a bonfire by burning large piles of fallen leaves gathered to generate heat, which warms our bodies and incinerates leaves.
To avoid wasting the generated heat, people in the past would throw sweet potatoes into the fire and enjoy the baked sweet potato, known as yaki-imo. You will hear this lovely Takibi song below.
Here, you will also discover the meaning of the lyrics, as well as the ridiculous and unfortunate story behind this body and heart-warming song.
Today, ground-level bonfires are prohibited, and there are no takibi, or communal outdoor scenes of burning fallen leaves, in Japan. This song is a symbolic representation of the past cultural practice.
Some cultural practices disappear, while others remain resilient. Yaki-imo (stone-baked potatoes) is one of them.
Since its creation in the late 18th century, when it was sold at small storefronts, it has remained the ultimate autumn-to-winter delicacy.
In 1951, a yaki-imo oven-attached pull cart was invented, in which potatoes are baked in a pebble-filled oven. Peddlers pulled the cart around the town and sold the hot, baked sweet potatoes. Today, the pulled cart is replaced with a small truck, and some businesses have even transitioned to a brick-and-mortar style.
Below is a YouTube video of a yaki-imo peddler today:
The peddler announces his arrival to the community from the microphone. “Yaki-imo, ishi-yaki-imo. Oimo. Oishii iomo-dayo. Hoku-hoku” (Yaki-imo, peddle baked sweet potato, delicious sweet potato, soft and fluffy)
Japan has a long history of developing new sweet potato varieties, particularly those with a sweeter taste and silkier texture, through traditional breeding methods. Japan has introduced cultivars with orange and yellow flesh.
Among many varieties, the Beni Haruka is known as the sweetest Japanese sweet potato. After the harvest, it is aged for approximately a month to enhance its sweetness. When it is baked, the sugar content reaches up to 50%. The cooked sweet potato has a silky and moist texture, making it the best yaki-imo, which everyone wants to try.
How do I rate the Japanese sweet potatoes sold at farmers' markets and supermarkets in America?
They are equally sweet and delicious.
My November recipes are focused on Kabocha squash, including kabocha pudding and kabocha salad, which I enjoy from autumn through wintertime. Try them at your Thanksgiving gathering.
