{"id":30196,"date":"2026-07-06T10:30:20","date_gmt":"2026-07-06T01:30:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/?page_id=30196"},"modified":"2026-07-06T12:16:13","modified_gmt":"2026-07-06T03:16:13","slug":"sakura-mochi-yamamoto-ya","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/?page_id=30196&lang=en","title":{"rendered":"Ch\u014dmei-ji Sakura-Mochi"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The oldest rice cake wrapped by cherry leaves<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DSC_0222-scaled.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"2560\" data-id=\"30197\" src=\"https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DSC_0222-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-30197\" srcset=\"https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DSC_0222-scaled.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DSC_0222-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DSC_0222-384x512.jpg 384w, https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DSC_0222-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DSC_0222-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DSC_0222-1536x2048.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sakura-mochi with green tea<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DSC_0224-scaled.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"2560\" data-id=\"30198\" src=\"https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DSC_0224-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-30198\" srcset=\"https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DSC_0224-scaled.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DSC_0224-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DSC_0224-384x512.jpg 384w, https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DSC_0224-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DSC_0224-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DSC_0224-1536x2048.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">wrapped with three sakura leaves<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/sakura-mochi.com\/\">Official Site Ch\u014dmei-ji Sakura-mochi<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d1145.2783820113825!2d139.80791005652344!3d35.717943407203464!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f25.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x60188ede9f8c4c7f%3A0x2b4ff11af83a20c7!2z6ZW35ZG95a-65qGc44KC44GhIOWxseacrOOChA!5e0!3m2!1sen!2sjp!4v1783302514321!5m2!1sen!2sjp\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" style=\"border:0;\" allowfullscreen=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Across the Sumida River from Asakusa (via Sakurabashi Bridge) lies Muk\u014djima (\u5411\u5cf6), home to a temple called H\u014djuzan Ch\u014dmei-ji Temple (\u5b9d\u5bff\u5c71\u9577\u547d\u5bfa). During the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Kan%27ei\">Kan&#8217;ei <\/a>era (around 1630), the Shogun fell slightly ill while out on a hunting trip and stopped at this temple to rest. After taking his medicine with water from a well in the front garden, he recovered instantly. Consequently, he bestowed the name &#8220;Ch\u014dmei-sui&#8221; (Long-Life Water) upon the well and ordered that the temple&#8217;s name be changed accordingly. From then on, it came to be known as Ch\u014dmei-ji\u2014prior to that, it had been called J\u014dsen-ji (<em>The Illustrated Guide to Famous Places of Edo<\/em>, Vol. 7, Book 19 \u6c5f\u6238\u540d\u6240\u56f3\u7d75). Since this took place during the Kan&#8217;ei era, the Shogun in question was the third <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Tokugawa_Iemitsu\">Tokugawa Shogun, Iemitsu<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/digidepo_2563398_0005x-scaled.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"342\" src=\"https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/digidepo_2563398_0005x-512x342.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-30236\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.4971057013718183;width:604px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/digidepo_2563398_0005x-512x342.jpg 512w, https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/digidepo_2563398_0005x-300x201.jpg 300w, https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/digidepo_2563398_0005x-768x513.jpg 768w, https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/digidepo_2563398_0005x-1536x1027.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/digidepo_2563398_0005x-2048x1369.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ushijima Shrine and Ch\u014dmei-ji Temple \u725b\u5fa1\u524d\u5bae(\u725b\u5d8b\u795e\u793e) \u9577\u547d\u5bfa \u6c5f\u6238\u540d\u6240\u56f3\u7d75<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 1717 (<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ky%C5%8Dh%C5%8D\">Ky\u014dh\u014d<\/a> 2), during the reign of the eighth <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Tokugawa_Yoshimune\">Tokugawa Shogun, Yoshimune<\/a>, cherry trees were planted along the Bokutei (the banks of the Sumida River) by government decree (<em>National Diet Library Collaborative Reference Database<\/em>). At the time, a temple caretaker at Ch\u014dmei-ji named Shinroku Yamamoto began preservation-salting those cherry leaves, wrapping them around rice cakes (<em>mochi<\/em>), and selling them in front of the Ch\u014dmei-ji temple gate. It reportedly became a massive hit among cherry blossom viewers and other visitors. Ch\u014dmei-ji had been entrusted by the Temple and Shrine Magistrate (<em>Jisha-bugyo<\/em>) with the maintenance of the Bokutei banks and the cherry tree rows, and Shinroku Yamamoto appears to have served as a sort of field watchman (<em>nomori<\/em>). In any case, this shop, Yamamoto-ya, continues to operate its rice cake business in the exact same location today. The <em>sakura-mochi<\/em> enjoyed all over Japan today is said to have originated right here at &#8220;Ch\u014dmei-ji Sakura-mochi Yamamoto-ya.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A rice cake made by folding a thin, white, crepe-like dough over sweet red bean paste and wrapping it in cherry leaves is served alongside a cup of sencha green tea. A single piece of <em>mochi<\/em> is wrapped snugly with three rather large leaves, leaving no gaps. A notice card suggests removing the leaves before eating. Seeing it explicitly written out like that made me wonder if some people actually eat it leaf and all, so I decided to give it a try. As it turned out, the leaves had almost no flavor; while they weren&#8217;t tough, they were dry and scratchy, making me feel like a cow or a horse chewing on grass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DSC_0204-scaled.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"384\" height=\"512\" data-id=\"30210\" src=\"https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DSC_0204-384x512.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-30210\" srcset=\"https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DSC_0204-384x512.jpg 384w, https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DSC_0204-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DSC_0204-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DSC_0204-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DSC_0204-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DSC_0204-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 384px) 100vw, 384px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ch\u014dmei-ji Sakura-mochi Yamamoto-ya<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Masaoka_Shiki.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"362\" height=\"512\" data-id=\"30214\" src=\"https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Masaoka_Shiki-362x512.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-30214\" srcset=\"https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Masaoka_Shiki-362x512.jpg 362w, https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Masaoka_Shiki-212x300.jpg 212w, https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Masaoka_Shiki.jpg 459w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 362px) 100vw, 362px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Masaoka Shiki<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Masaoka_Shiki\">Masaoka Shiki<\/a>, then a student in the main course of the Preparatory School of the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/University_of_Tokyo\">University of Tokyo<\/a> who aspired to become a writer, rented a room on the second floor of this Yamamoto-ya. He intended to use his summer vacation to build up a portfolio of his work. He likely figured that by staying along the Sumida River\u2014the setting for numerous literary masterpieces ranging from <em><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/The_Tales_of_Ise\">The Tales of Ise<\/a><\/em> and <em>The <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sarashina_Nikki\">Sarashina Diary<\/a><\/em> to Noh, Kabuki, and Bunraku\u2014he would never run short of subject matter. During his stay, Shiki penned a seven-volume collection of his works spanning classical Chinese poetry (<em>kanshi<\/em>), classical Chinese prose (<em>kanbun<\/em>), novels, and <em>waka<\/em> poetry, titled <em>Mukojima Nanakusa-shu<\/em> (The Seven Herbs Collection of Mukojima; \u4e03\u8349\u96c6).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Within this collection, for instance, the following poem can be found in the volume dedicated to classical Chinese poetry:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-verse\"><em>Having obtained a long thirty-day vacation,<\/em><br><em>I live in quiet seclusion by the banks of the Sumida.<\/em><br><em>The tolling of a bell echoes from a temple near the woods,<\/em><br><em>While the waterside pavilions roll up their bamboo blinds.<\/em><br><em>As I gaze around, wondering where to mourn the spirit of the famed courtesan,<\/em><br><em>I see that even now, the white gulls still dwell here.<\/em><br><em>Leaning on my staff as I search for traces of days gone by,<\/em><br><em>The evening sun, illuminating things near and far, fills me with melancholy.<\/em><\/pre>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-verse\">\u5f97\u6687\u4e09\u65ec\u4e45<br>\u9591\u6816\u58a8\u6c34\u982d<br>\u6572\u9418\u6797\u969b\u5bfa<br>\u6372\u7b94\u6c34\u8fba\u697c<br>\u4f55\u51e6\u5f14\u540d\u5993<br>\u4e8e\u4eca\u6709\u767d\u9d0e<br>\u4e00\u7b47\u63a2\u53e4\u8ff9<br>\u9060\u9087\u66ae\u5149\u6101<\/pre>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Shiki went so far as to write a promotional poem for the shop on behalf of the owner. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-verse\"><em>Locking the fragrance of the blossoms into its young leaves\u2014<\/em><br><em>Bring home this aromatic sakura-mochi as a gift for your family.<\/em> <br><em>(Composed on behalf of the proprietor who sells sakura-mochi)<\/em><\/pre>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-verse\">\u82b1\u306e\u9999\u3092 \u82e5\u8449\u306b\u8fbc\u3081\u3066 \u9999\u3050\u306f\u3057\u304d \u685c\u306e\u9905(\u3082\u3061\u3072) \u5bb6\u3065\u3068\u306b\u305b\u3088 \uff08\u685c\u306e\u9905\u3092\u5546\u3075\u4e3b\u4eba\u306b\u4ee3\u306f\u308a\u3066\u8a60\u3081\u308b\uff09<\/pre>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IMG_0168-scaled.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"341\" data-id=\"30258\" src=\"https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IMG_0168-512x341.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-30258\" srcset=\"https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IMG_0168-512x341.jpg 512w, https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IMG_0168-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IMG_0168-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IMG_0168-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IMG_0168-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Today&#8217;s Ch\u014dmei-ji Temple <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IMG_0165-scaled.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"341\" data-id=\"30260\" src=\"https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IMG_0165-512x341.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-30260\" srcset=\"https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IMG_0165-512x341.jpg 512w, https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IMG_0165-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IMG_0165-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IMG_0165-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IMG_0165-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sarasvat\u012b Shrine in Ch\u014dmei-ji<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The oldest rice cake wrapped by cherry leaves Official Site Ch\u014dmei-ji Sakura-mochi Across the Sumida River fro &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/?page_id=30196&#038;lang=en\" class=\"more-link\">\u7d9a\u304d\u3092\u8aad\u3080 <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Ch\u014dmei-ji Sakura-Mochi<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":29549,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-30196","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/30196","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=30196"}],"version-history":[{"count":28,"href":"https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/30196\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30266,"href":"https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/30196\/revisions\/30266"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/29549"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tanaka0903.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=30196"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}