The rice spoon or spatula is an essential tool in the preparation of Japanese rice. Discover its particularities:
- The rice spoon or spatula shakushi or shamoji
- The traditional Japanese rice spoon or spatula
- Miyajima Oshakushi large rice spatulas
The rice spoon or rice spatula shakushi or shamoji
Rice is the base of Japanese cooking, its preparation after cooking is very important. Indeed, the rice is placed in a hangiri (large wooden container) and mixed with a Japanese rice spoon. This spoon allows to aerate the rice and not to crush it.
This Japanese spoon or spatula is called a shakushi 杓子 in Japanese, it is flat or slightly hollowed out. It is also called a shamoji 杓文字, it is larger than a soup spoon.
There are 2 types of Japanese rice spoons:
- Made of plastic, this one has grooves or multiple dots. These patterns make the rice lighter and do not flatten it so that the rice does not stick to the spoon.
- Made of wood, often bamboo or lacquered, the rice spoon is wet beforehand so that the rice does not stick to the spoon.
If you don’t have a Japanese rice spoon, we suggest you replace it by a classic wooden spatula and moisten it. Metal spoons are very rare and are not recommended for mixing rice. Because the metal spoon can cut the rice grains and damage the hangiri
.
The traditional rice spoon or spatula in Japan
It is in Miyajima, an island south ofHiroshima that you will find the traditional wooden rice spoons. Indeed, nowadays plastic rice spoons are more common but wood remains the raw material of this utensil.
It was in Miyajima that the wooden rice spoon was created by a monk. They have become the symbol of the craftsmanship of this beautiful island that we recommend you to visit!
You will find handmade wooden rice spoons with or without design. These spatulas are finely polished and the materials are carefully selected. You can see many craftsmen decorating them in front of you. It is simple, in Miyajima, the main street alternates between spoon stores and other decoration and typical food like momiji manju.
The big rice spatulas of Miyajima Oshakushi
In Miyajima you will see a lot of wooden rice spoon shops ranging from the very small one, similar to a teaspoon, to the bigger ones measuring up to 2 meters!
You will also have the opportunity to contemplate the largest spatula in the world in the main street which measures no less than 7.7 meters long!
These spatulas are called oshakushi, obviously, they are not used for cooking but as a lucky charm.