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In Japan, June of the old lunar calendar is called "Minazuki". In English, Minazuki is interpreted as "the month without water". Generally, this is when the rainy season ends. There is a custom to eat Japanese sweets, also called Minazuki, on June 30th in Kyoto. On this day, the halfway mark in the year, sweet Minazuki is also an offering given to expel any negative actions of the first half of the year and to pray for good health during the next half.
In ancient times, ice was perceived as a luxury and was only enjoyed by the Imperial Court. The ice was acquired from icehouses located in Kitayama/Kyoto and shaped like triangles. The people of Kyoto were not able to afford this ice in the summer and instead made Minazuki.
Japanese sweet Minazuki is a cake with azuki topping the base of white "uirou." Uirou is steamed cake made from sugar and rice flour. “Azuki” is a small red bean which is cooked and tastes sweet. The white uirou cake is triangle shaped to resemble the ice and azuki is believed to guard against evil spirits.
This triangular cake symbolizes keeping cool in the summer heat. During this season, posters adorn the storefronts of many Japanese sweets shops in Kyoto announcing that “sweet Minazuki is now on sale”.
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