In Niigata, there is a tradition in which farmers worship and pray to the god of the rice paddy to ask for a rich rice harvest. As part of this, they would make "dango" (rice dumplings) and dedicate them to the god. They then ate these dango in "azuki-gayu" which is a porridge ("kayu") made with rice and azuki red beans. This tradition is still alive in some places in Niigata.
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