Yamayaki Dango

Unstoppable delicious dumplings born from "Akiyoshidai no Yama-yaki"

“Yamayaki Dango” made by “Kiren Seika” in Yamaguchi City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, are mini-sized dumpling skewers made of soft rice cake covered with soybean flour and skewered. They may seem like standard dumplings, but they were surprisingly delicious.

The name “Yamayaki Dango” comes from the annual “Yamayaki” event held around February at Akiyoshidai, the largest karst plateau in Japan, located in the central-eastern part of Mine City, Yamaguchi Prefecture. The “Yamayaki” is said to be an agricultural event in which dead grass is burnt to collect weeds over a wide area so that new grass can sprout. Nowadays, it is a tradition in Akiyoshidai and is watched over by many people.

The “dumplings covered with soybean flour” that were used as hand-made lunches during the “Yamayaki” event were the basis for the “Yamayaki Dango” made by Kiren Seika, and it was important to be able to eat them easily.

Three bite-sized dumplings are strung together and are very soft to the touch. The dumplings are soft and mochi-like, almost like gyuhi (rice cake), and are covered with a generous amount of fragrant kinako (soybean flour).

I was surprised at how delicious they were. I bought a package of 5 dumplings and finished them all in less than 10 minutes.