The Seven Herbs Porridge for Good Health in 2025: A Tradition from the Edo Period

On the 7th of January, we eat a special dish called Nanakusa porridge (the seven herbs porridge), a tradition that has continued since the Edo period.

The seven herbs used in the porridge are seri (Japanese parsley), nazuna (shepherd’s purse), gogyou (cudweed), hakobera (chickweed), hotokenoza (nipplewort), suzuna (turnip), and suzushiro (daikon radish). These herbs were chosen because they sprout with extraordinary vigor in early spring. Eating this porridge is believed to promote good health and ward off evil spirits.

Supermarkets have been selling sets of the seven herbs for the past few days. However, I always decide to buy them on the actual day, as they’re usually sold at a lower price. After all, the tradition of eating Nanakusa porridge is limited to today!

I can’t help but think that some Japanese traditional customs can be a little unkind—especially when they’re so time-specific. What do you think?

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A Japanese Wanderer, Tsukubu — Tasting the Poetic Beauty of Japan and Beyond

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