Giant manjuu is cooked on a 44 pound skewer. Driving away evil spirits at the Bun Baking Festival in Isesaki.

Translated from the original article at: http://takasaki.keizai.biz/headline/1613/




January 12, 2012

Caption: The Miss Sunflower contestants of Isesaki (Japanese site) dressed as maidens.

The Jōshū Bun Baking Festival featured giant manjuu cooked as an offering for good luck. It was held on the 11th at the Isesaki Temple in Honmachi, Isesaki city. In the middle of a strong, dry wind, many spectators gathered.


Cooked manjuu is considered the prefecture of Gunma's soul food. First, steamed manjuu is skewered and baked. It's then covered in sweet miso sauce and eaten. Ordinary manjuu is 5 to 7 centimeters (2-2.8 inches) in diameter. The manjuu from the festival was giant, 55 centimeters (21.7 inches) and weighing in at 5 kilograms (11 pounds).


This year marks the 10th time the Jōshū Bun Baking Festival has been held. As the skewered manjuu is cooked over the flame, a fragrant smell enters the temple grounds. The side of manjuu coated in sweet miso paste is turned over the flame, it's peculiar sweet and sour fragrance now expanding beyond the temple grounds. Citizens of Gunma prefecture passing experience a jolt to their senses.


The baked manjuu is lifted off the flame, divided and offered to the spectators.




Original text:
1串20キロ「巨大焼きまんじゅう」で厄払い－伊勢崎で「焼きまん祭」
2012年01月12日


巫女姿の女性は伊勢崎のミスコン「ミスひまわり」のみなさん


伊勢崎神社（伊勢崎市本町）で1月11日、巨大な焼きまんじゅうを奉納する「上州焼きまん祭」が開催され、空っ風が吹く中、多くの見物客が集まった。


焼きまんじゅうは蒸したまんじゅうを串に刺して焼き、甘いみそだれを塗って食べる群馬のソウルフード。通常のまんじゅうの大きさは直径5～7センチ程度だが、焼きまん祭のまんじゅうは直径約55センチ、重さ約5キロと巨大だ。


「上州焼きまん祭」の開催は今回で10回目。串に刺したまんじゅうを火にかけると、香ばしい香りが境内に立ちこめ、みそだれを塗って返すと独特の甘辛い香りが境内の外に広がり、通りすがりの群馬県人の心をも揺さぶった。


焼き上がった焼きまんじゅうは切り分けられ、見物客に振る舞われた。