Menu
Home
People
Places
Arts
History
Plants & Animals
Science
Life & Culture
Technology
Reference.org
Dango
open-in-new
<h2 id="types">Types</h2> <p>The many different varieties of <i>dango</i> are usually named after the various seasonings served on or with it.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a> </p> <h3>Popular dango</h3> <ul><li><i><a href="/facts/Red_bean_paste/SbdQjnQV">Anko</a> dango</i> (あんこ団子) is commonly covered with sweetened <a href="/facts/Red_bean_paste/SbdQjnQV">red bean paste</a>; ingredients other than <i><a href="/facts/Azuki/AaQz9D3x">azuki</a></i> are used on rare occasions. Other toppings for anko include <i>zunda</i> (ずんだ) made from <a href="/facts/Edamame/ALvhzj7r">edamame</a> paste and <a href="/facts/Kurumi/pjk8GPPJ">kurumi</a> (<a href="/facts/Walnut/lEkDbm8N">walnut</a>) paste.</li> <li><i>Cha dango</i> (茶団子) is <a href="/facts/Green_tea/IWfzB2Q2">green tea</a> (matcha) flavored <i>dango</i>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a></li> <li><i><a href="/facts/Soy_sauce/D8BeXopa">Shoyu</a> dango</i> (醤油だんご) is a kind of baked dango (<i>yaki dango</i> (焼き団子)) and is seasoned with <a href="/facts/Soy_sauce/D8BeXopa">soy sauce</a>. Furthermore, the one wrapped with <a href="/facts/Nori/u2yabhyY">nori</a> is called <i>isobe dango</i> (磯辺団子).</li> <li><i>Hanami dango</i> (花見だんご) also known as <i>sanshoku dango</i> (三色団子) is eaten during <a href="/facts/Hanami/7h1TNHEj">hanami</a>. It has three colors (pink, white and green), and is traditionally made during <i><a href="/facts/Sakura/pLecLyIH">sakura</a></i>-viewing season, hence the name (<i>hanami</i> means "flower viewing"; <i>hana</i> meaning "flower", and <i>mi</i> meaning "to see"). The order of the three colored dumplings is said to represent the order in which cherry blossoms bloom. Pink represents cherry buds, white represents cherry blossoms in full bloom, and green represents leafy cherry blossoms after they have fallen. This one was chosen for the Dango Unicode emoji, 🍡</li> <li><i><a href="/facts/Kibi_dango_(millet_dumpling)/dhgu44Bs">Kibi dango</a></i> (きび団子) is made with <a href="/facts/Millet/y0DDfYPm">millet</a> flour. This variety is prominently featured in the tale of <a href="/facts/Momotar%25C5%258D/VvzjSS4J">Momotarō</a>, a folkloric Japanese hero, who offers the rounded ball (not skewered) to three talking animals in exchange for their aid in fighting demons.</li> <li><i><a href="/facts/Kinako/clA93E4u">Kinako</a> dango</i> (きなこ団子) is made with toasted soy flour.</li> <li><i>Kusa dango</i> or <i>yomogi dango</i> (草団子 or よもぎ団子) is mixed leaves of <a href="/facts/Yomogi/PhlK9W4N">yomogi</a>, like <a href="/facts/Kusa_mochi/A5j2HGrS">kusa mochi</a>. It is often covered with <i><a href="/facts/Red_bean_paste/SbdQjnQV">anko</a></i>.</li> <li><i><a href="/facts/Mitarashi_dango/nqDWkArr">Mitarashi dango</a></i> (みたらし団子) is covered with a syrup made from <i><a href="/facts/Soy_sauce/D8BeXopa">shouyu</a></i> (soy sauce), <a href="/facts/Sugar/jb5KXRHT">sugar</a>, and <a href="/facts/Starch/gHAqGfJb">starch</a>.</li> <li><i>Sasa dango</i> (笹団子) is produced and eaten primarily in <a href="/facts/Niigata_Prefecture/StVhupn9">Niigata Prefecture</a>. <i>Sasa dango</i> has two varieties: <i>onna dango</i> and <i>otoko dango</i>. <i>Onna dango</i> (literally "female dango") is filled with <a href="/facts/Red_bean_paste/SbdQjnQV">anko</a>, while the <i>otoko dango</i> (literally "male dango") is filled with <i><a href="/facts/Kinpira/RlY4X1wd">kinpira</a></i>. The <i>dango</i> is wrapped in leaves of <a href="/facts/Sasa_(plant)/7M30bQwN">sasa</a> for the purpose of preservation.</li> <li><i>Shiratama dango</i> (白玉だんご) is eaten in <a href="/facts/Anmitsu/dftnl6De">anmitsu</a> or <a href="/facts/Mitsumame/dz29nCoe">mitsumame</a>.</li> <li><i>Tsukimi dango</i> (月見だんご) is a white dango eaten during <a href="/facts/Tsukimi/1UsEUAeR">Tsukimi</a>, related to the <a href="/facts/Mid-Autumn_Festival/2MSnk5ce">Mid-Autumn</a> festival.</li></ul> <h3>Various other dango</h3> <ul><li><i>Botchan dango</i> (坊っちゃん団子) has three colors. One is colored by red beans, the second by eggs, and the third by green tea. <i>Botchan dango</i> is a product name of <a href="/facts/Ehime/ary9tbou">Ehime</a>’s <a href="/facts/Miyagegashi/Ew6rSP0y">miyagegashi</a>, which was named after <a href="/facts/Natsume_S%25C5%258Dseki/beE7RCE3">Natsume Sōseki</a>’s novel <i><a href="/facts/Botchan/bpMygbao">Botchan</a></i>.</li> <li><i><a href="/facts/Chichi_dango/IerQwb4E">Chichi dango</a></i> (乳団子) is a slightly sweet, light treat usually eaten as a dessert.</li> <li><i>Denpun dango</i> (でんぷん団子) from <a href="/facts/Hokkaido/kwacDkYD">Hokkaido</a> is made from <a href="/facts/Flour/dY1Lx5RQ">potato flour</a> and baked with sweet boiled beans.</li> <li><i>Kuri dango</i> (栗だんご) is coated in chestnut paste.</li> <li><i><a href="/facts/Meatball/NydlGNYd">Niku dango</a></i> (肉団子) is a type of Japanese <a href="/facts/Meatball/NydlGNYd">meatball</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> Chicken <i>niku dango</i> is called <i><a href="/facts/Tsukune/leq7Xw5H">tsukune</a></i>, served on a <a href="/facts/Skewer/AyxjWT4R">skewer</a>.</li></ul> <h2 id="derived-terms">Derived terms</h2> <p>A common <a href="/facts/Japanese_proverbs/KNv7Apk9">Japanese proverb</a> "<i>hana yori dango</i>" (花より団子, literally, "dango rather than flowers") refers to a preference for practical things rather than aesthetics. </p><p>A <a href="/facts/Hairstyle/dNMR9Wx1">hairstyle</a> consisting of <i>dango</i>-like buns on either side of the head is sometimes known as <a href="/facts/Odango_(hairstyle)/BFS1tuf9"><i>odango</i></a>. </p><p><i><a href="/facts/Dorodango/w0EkwmUN">Dorodango</a></i> is a Japanese art form in which earth and water are molded to create a delicate, shiny sphere, resembling a billiard ball. </p> <h2 id="in-vietnam">In Vietnam</h2> <p>Bánh hòn is a specialty dessert of <a href="/facts/Phan_Thiet/vTdURGKY">Phan Thiet</a>. The cake is made from tapioca flour, coconut, roasted peanuts, salt and sugar. When finished, it is rolled over shredded coconut and skewered like Japanese dango. </p> <h2 id="unicode-character">Unicode character</h2> <p>The Unicode <a href="/facts/Emoji/Qkp7gwBH">emoji</a> character 🍡 is used to resemble <a href="/facts/Hanami/7h1TNHEj">hanami</a> dango. The character was introduced in October 2010.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dango. <ul><li><i><a href="/facts/Jian_dui/amfhgscP">Jian dui</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/facts/Wagashi/f85eLHnW">Wagashi</a></i>, traditional Japanese confectionery</li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>大辞林 第三版「だんご〔団子〕」- コトバンク 2020年4月3日閲覧 <a href="https://kotobank.jp/word/%E5%9B%A3%E5%AD%90-94993#E5.A4.A7.E8.BE.9E.E6.9E.97.20.E7.AC.AC.E4.B8.89.E7.89.88" target="_blank">https://kotobank.jp/word/%E5%9B%A3%E5%AD%90-94993#E5.A4.A7.E8.BE.9E.E6.9E.97.20.E7.AC.AC.E4.B8.89.E7.89.88</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>Rachel (April 14, 2008). "Dango Digest: A Thorough Look at Japanese Dumplings, Part Two". theanimeblog.com. Archived from the original on 2008-09-15. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20080915030817/http://theanimeblog.com/japanese-recipes/dango-digest-a-thorough-look-at-japanese-dumplings-part-two/" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20080915030817/http://theanimeblog.com/japanese-recipes/dango-digest-a-thorough-look-at-japanese-dumplings-part-two/</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>"Wagashi: Chadango and Minazuki". June 29, 2008. Retrieved 2009-03-28. <a href="http://kyotofoodie.com/wagashi-chadango-minazuki/" target="_blank">http://kyotofoodie.com/wagashi-chadango-minazuki/</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>"Niku Dango - Sumo Kitchen". Sumokitchen.com. Retrieved 21 December 2017. <a href="http://www.sumokitchen.com/JapaneseRecipes/niku-dango/" target="_blank">http://www.sumokitchen.com/JapaneseRecipes/niku-dango/</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>"Unicode Character 'DANGO' (U+1F361)". Fileformat.info. Retrieved 2017-03-02. <a href="https://www.fileformat.info/info/unicode/char/1f361/index.htm" target="_blank">https://www.fileformat.info/info/unicode/char/1f361/index.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>