chimaki; rice cake wrapped in bamboo leaves
A traditional Japanese food made of glutinous rice, often shaped into a cylinder and wrapped in bamboo or other leaves, then steamed. Commonly associated with the Boys' Festival (端午の節句).
There is a custom of eating chimaki on the Boys' Festival.
This chimaki is made with glutinous rice.
Standard kanji spelling for this traditional food.
Kana spelling is common in everyday writing, especially when the kanji is not needed.
Alternate kanji spelling, less common; literally 'cogon grass roll'.
The word ちまき is of native Japanese origin. The kanji 粽 is a Chinese character for a similar food, and 茅巻き literally means 'cogon grass roll', referring to the wrapping material.