Hinamatsuri and Cat Dishes (March 2nd)

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Tomorrow is March 3rd, Hinamatsuri, the Peach Festival.
In traditional old houses in various regions, even today, the Hinamatsuri display features the Emperor and Empress on the top tier. Below them are the three court ladies, the five musicians, and then the Minister of the Right and the Minister of the Left all lined up.

Unfortunately, for nuclear families living in the city, even if they celebrate Hinamatsuri, it is difficult to set up such a magnificent altar, so they might only have the Emperor and Empress dolls.

However, even if the decorations are simple, the feeling of celebrating Hinamatsuri is reflected in the prepared dining table. A clam soup is served on the Hinamatsuri table. It just so happens that spring is the season for shellfish as well.

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Come to think of it, in Japan in the past, they used seashells as dishes for cats.

This is clearly depicted in ukiyo-e from the Edo period, where you can see the cats appearing in them being provided with large abalone shells.

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Furthermore, the cat kept by Tensho-in, the wife of Shogun Iesada, had its own black-lacquered tray and ceramic abalone-shaped dish.

It usually ate the leftovers from Tensho-in's meals, but on days of abstinence when no fish was served, it is said that 25 ryo per year (*Note) was spent on bonito flakes and loaches for the cat.

Also, the fact that cats kept by commoners were fed from abalone shells remains in the rakugo story 'Awabi no Shi' and the old senryu poems of 'Yanagidaru'.

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Come to think of it, the protagonist of Natsume Soseki's 'I Am a Cat', whose name is 'Still No Name', was also given an abalone shell as his own personal dish.

By the way, it is a secret that I long misunderstood the
"name of the nameless cat" in 'I Am a Cat' as
'Madanai'-chan. 🤭

"Tomorrow is Hinamatsuri. Let's all celebrate the Peach Festival together."

May today be a good day as well.
(🎹MIYABI)

(*Note)
'25 ryo in the time of Tensho-in.'

The 25 ryo during the late Edo period (Ansei/Bunkyu eras), when Tensho-in (Atsuhime), the wife (legal wife) of Shogun Tokugawa Iesada, was in the Ooku of Edo Castle, is said to be equivalent to about 50,000 to several hundred thousand yen (depending on the era and the price of rice) in modern value, so 25 ryo can certainly be called a luxurious amount even today.

However, I want to let my "cute and precious" cat indulge themselves about once a week, and I want them to enjoy "Churu" as a treat.

Could it be that I am spending about 25 ryo (roughly 50,000 yen to several hundred thousand yen) a year on my cat?

This is the bottom.
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