Kushi-Dango. Tonight's dessert was "Kushi-Dango." It's a Japanese traditional and popular sweet. Dango is a small rounded sweet that is made by grains like rice etc. Kushi-Dango is a stick that spits 3-5 Dango. The roasted Kushi-Dango is called Yaki-Dango. And then the Yaki-Dango that is coated with soy sauce, is Shoyu-Dango. Now, this name of Dango become common but different names exit in regions, for example Dansu and Anbu etc. In the past Dango was eaten as a substitute food for rice. Therefore Dango was made by grains like barley, wheat, chestnut, corn, bean and potato etc. Now Dango that is coated with sugar, exists but non-coated Dango exists, too, because Dango was a substitute food. There are a few stories about the origin of Dango. According to a popular theory, Kentoushi; Japanese missions to Tang China, brought eight Karakudamono; Chinease sweets, and one of them is Danki and it's the original. In Japanese history this word Dango appears in Shinsarugakuki first. It's a book that was written in Heian Period, in 11th century. And Dango appears in the book, Chiyuuruiki, that was written in Kamakura Period, and the figuration is similar to present Dango. In Muromachi Period, Kushi-Dango appeared and people called it Dango. In Edo Period, people ate sweet Dango as a popular sweet in urban areas, but in rural areas people ate as a substitute food. Anyway, Dango has a long history, and it's so traditionally in Japan. Incidentally, it's hard to define the different from Mochi.