With wishes for a bountiful harvest and good health.

January 15th is the Little New Year. There are small New Year customs that have taken root in various parts of the country, and events related to them are held here and there. Even in Morioka City, as this season approaches, houses and storefronts are decorated with branches with adorable fruit. Its true identity is "Mizuki Dango", which has been passed down from generation to generation in Iwate Prefecture. The small, round-shaped ''fruit'' are dumplings made from rice flour. The name dogwood dango comes from the fact that colorful dango colored with food coloring were attached to the tips of dogwood branches. Similar customs exist all over the country, and depending on the region, they are called ''Mochihana'' or ''Mayudama.'' Furthermore, in large areas of eastern Japan, it is said that there is a custom of making dango into cocoon-like bale shapes instead of round ones to pray for the prosperity of sericulture. Dogwood dumplings are filled with prayers for a rich harvest and good health.

In addition to colorful dango, sometimes motifs depicting lucky charms such as koban, sea bream, and Daikoku-sama are also hung on branches. If you take a stroll through the streets of Morioka, you may come across unique "Mizuki Dango".

Also, in some regions, trees such as Nurude, hackberry, and willow are used for the branches on which dumplings are attached, but in Morioka, dogwood is the standard. The dogwood tree has a reddish color, and it is said that red is an auspicious color, and the fact that the buds appear upwards means that it is a symbol of good fortune.