日本語は英語の後に続きます。Japanese follows.
“Inoko (Day-of-the-Boar) Mochi” is said to
be perfect health if eaten in “Inotsuki
(October under the lunar calendar),
Inohi (the day of boar), Inokoku (around
10pm)”.
As its name suggests, it imitates the shape
and colour of “Uribo” a child of a boar.
It also means wishing for the prosperity of
descendants by having a share of luck
from a boar that has many babies.
It has an ancient origin and appears in the
Tale of Genji (1008). In the new calendar,
today, the first day of “Inohi” in November,
is the day of “Inoko”.
According to the Theory of Five Elements
in Ying-Yang, “I (boar)” falls under “water”,
and is believed one is free from fire disasters
if the sunken hearth is opened on “Inohi” in
the tea ceremony.
In the Edo period (1603-1868), it is said that
there was a custom of taking out “kotatsu (a
Japanese foot warmer with a quilt over it)”
and “hibachi (a brazier)” on this day.
We had wild boar dishes at the Irori fireplace.
亥の子餅は「亥の月（旧暦10月）、亥の日、
亥の刻」に食べると無病息災であると
いわれる。名前の通り、猪の子供である
「うり坊」の形や色をまねている。多産な
猪にあやかり、子孫繁栄を願う意味もある。
起源は古く、源氏物語にも登場するとか。
新暦では、11月最初の亥の日の今日が、
亥の子の日。亥は、陰陽五行説では「水」
にあたり、火災を逃れると、茶の湯では
この日に炉開きをする。江戸時代には
この日に炬燵や火鉢を出す習慣があった
そう。囲炉裏で猪料理をいただいた。