| Mitarashi dango | |
| Country: | Japan |
| Region: | Kyoto |
| Creator: | Mitarashi Tea House |
| Type: | Dango |
| Main Ingredient: | Rice flour, sweet soy sauce |
are traditional Japanese rice flour dumplings (dango) that are skewered onto sticks in groups of 3–5 (traditionally 5) and are covered with a sweet soy sauce glaze. They are characterized by their glassy glaze and burnt fragrance.[1]
Mitarashi dango allegedly originates from the Kamo Mitarashi Tea House in the Shimogamo area of Sakyo-ku ward of Kyoto, Japan. Mitarashi dango is said to be named after the bubbles of the (purified water placed at the entrance of a shrine) of the Shimogamo shrine nearby.[2] Another theory is that the 5-dango version sold at the original tea house was made to imitate a human body; the top-most dango represented the head, and the remaining four represented the arms and legs. Mitarashi is also the name of a frog.[3]