| Abstract | U radu se predstavlja važnost i uporaba riže u japanskoj kulturi. Riža je od davnina ondje imala važno mjesto u ritualima, među kojima je vjerojatno najvažniji ritual koji provodi car, zvan ōnamesai, čija je glavna svrha darivanje novih usjeva riže božanstvima. Slavlje Nove godine također je prožeto običajima koji uključuju rižu i proizvode od nje, pogotovo jedenje rižinih kolačića zvanih mochi. Japanska drevna mitologija prožeta je raznim legendama koje pokazuju značaj i važnost riže, a za božicu Amaterasu vjeruje se da je prvom japanskom caru, koji je ujedno bio i njen unuk, dala prva zrna riže. Postoji i posebno božanstvo rižinih polja Ta no kami i božanstvo riže i plodnosti Inari, koji se i danas štuju u svetištima. Japanci uzimaju rižu kao metaforu koja predstavlja njih kao naciju i u japanskoj populaciji ponekad postoji doza odbojnosti prema riži uvezenoj iz drugih zemalja. Djecu se odmalena uči poštovanju prema riži, a prisutno je vjerovanje da riža daje snagu, pa se zato često promovira kao idealna hrana za sportaše i bolesne. Razni obrasci ponašanja iz prošlosti vezani uz rižu prisutni su i danas, a najrasprostranjeniji je vjerojatno zajedničko pijenje rižinog vina, što služi za probijanje leda među neznancima i zbližavanje ljudi. Još jedan takav običaj je darivanje rižinog vina i riže preminulima u malim kućnim svetištima. Mnoge izreke i izrazi vezuju se uz rižu, a u japanskom znakovnom pismu kanji postoji nekoliko znakova koji mogu predstavljati rižu. Ti znakovi često se pojavljuju u imenima i prezimenima Japanaca. Stabljika riže se u prošlosti Japana u obliku rižine slame upotrebljavala za izrađivanje slamnjača za spavanje, tatamija, krovova kuća, sandala, šešira, kišnih kabanica i dr. Riža koju Japanci vide kao svoju je kratkozrnata i sadrži sve što je ljudskom tijelu potrebno za preživljavanje, osim ponekih vitamina i minerala koji se moraju uzimati iz drugih izvora. Poliranje riže koje je postalo popularno odstranjuje vitamin B1 iz ljuske riže, što je u prošlosti uzrokovalo širenje bolesti beriberi. Uzgoj riže u prošlosti poticao je međusobnu suradnju ljudi radi lakšeg preživljavanja, unatoč tome što nije postojala dovoljna količina riže za svakodnevnu prehranu većine puka. Riža se u povijesti Japana upotrebljavala kao valuta i porez, a bile su nerijetke i pobune zbog njene oskudice i visoke cijene, dok je tijekom Drugog svjetskog rata korištena kao glavna hrana za japanske vojnike. |
| Abstract (english) | The importance and use of rice in Japanese culture is presented in this paper. From the ancient times rice had an important place in many rituals, among which the most important is probably a ritual performed by the emperor, called ōnamesai, whose main purpose is offering new crops of rice to the deities. The New Year’s celebration is also filled with practices that involve rice and rice products, especially the custom of eating the mochi rice cakes. The Japanese ancient mythology is filled with various legends that show the importance of rice and the goddess Amaterasu is believed to have given the first grains of rice to the first Japanese emperor, who was also her grandson. A special deity of rice fields Ta no kami and a deity of rice and fertility Inari also exist and they are worshipped in shrines even to this day. The Japanese see the rice as a metaphor which represents them as a nation and therefore in the Japanese nation there is a certain dose of hostility towards rice imported from other countries. Since the young age the Japanese are taught to have respect for rice and there is also a belief that rice gives strength, which is why it is promoted as ideal food for the athletes and the sick. Various patterns of behavior from the past connected to rice are present even today and the most widespread is probably the drinking of rice wine together, which serves to break the ice between strangers and bring them closer together. Another such custom is the offering of rice wine and rice to the deceased in small house shrines. A lot of sayings and expressions are present in the Japanese language and in the Japanese sign writing kanji there are a few signs that can stand for rice. Those signs often appear in the names and surnames of Japanese people. The rice plant in the form of rice straw was used to make pallets for sleeping, tatami mats, house roofs, sandals, hats, raincoats etc. The rice that the Japanese see as their own is short grain rice and it contains everything that human body needs for survive, except some vitamins and minerals which need to be taken in from other sources. Rice polishing that became popular removes the B1 vitamin from the rice husk, which in the past led to an illness called beriberi. The rice production in the past encouraged cooperation among people, despite the fact that there wasn't sufficient amount of rice available for everyday meals of the majority of folk. Rice was used as currency and tax in Japan's past and riots because of rice scarcity and it's price were not uncommon, while at the time of the Second World War rice was used as the main food for Japanese soldiers. |
