Japanese festival foods

More than 100 foods associated with 21 Japanese festivals were examined in two populations: elderly Japanese living in Yamaguchi and Hiroshima (n=154) and elderly Japanese-Americans born in Yamaguchi or Hiroshima, currently r esidents of Los Angeles, California (n=54). More Japanese-Americans than Ja panese respondents considered rice cakes, sushi, and vegetables mixed with meat/chicken as foods traditionally associated with New Years Day, Adult Da y, Girl's Day, and Cherry Blossom Festival. In contrast, significantly more Japanese than Japanese-Americans reported no foods were associated with th ese holidays, or with Star Festival, Festival of Joy (Obon), weddings, or f or the 60th birthday (Kanreki). Japanese respondents regularly associated s ix foods with New Years Eve, spring equinox, and celebrations for 3, 5, and 7 year olds: buckwheat noodles, candy, devil's tongue herb, sardines, whal e meat, and glutinous rice coated with sweet red-bean paste. While Japanese -American respondents continued to eat traditional foods on most Japanese f estival days, they evolved in the United States a mixed cuisine pattern tha t blended Japanese, Western, and Chinese ethnic foods when celebrating Chri stmas, Thanksgiving, and weddings.