Ofuku (Netsuke) & Okonomiyaki (Japanese Savory Pancake) 阿福（根付）とオタフクソース

Ofuku (Netsuke) & Okonomiyaki (Japanese Savory Pancake)　阿福（根付）とオタフクソース

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

This 3cm sculpture is netsuke carved from ivory titled "Ofuku." Ofuku is the female version of comical Japanese character with large cheeks and a joyful smile, often portrayed in the form of mask used in traditional Japanese theater, such as noh, bunraku and kyogen.

Netsuke - design of Ofuku mask, ivory, 19 century
阿福面牙彫根付 19世紀

She is also called Otafuku and Okame. Ofuku and Otafuku mean “(much) good fortune” or “(plenty of) happiness,” while Okame, literally meaning turtle, is a symbol of longevity and wisdom.

These terms, Ofuku, Otafuku and Okame, are so common in Japan that they are included in names of various things, including Okame parakeet or (O)fuku beans, but what is most relevant to me is Otafuku sauce, a special sauce for okonomiyaki in the Hiroshima prefecture.

Okonomiyaki is Japanese savory pancake containing a variety of ingredients and there are in general two styles, Osaka and Hiroshima.

The Osaka style is made from wheat-flour-based batter which is mixed with all ingredients, while for the Hiroshima style, all the ingredients have to be layered, i.e., the batter has to be first put on a hotplate, then dried bonito flakes, sliced cabbage, bean sprouts, sliced green onions, slices of pork and an egg (if you like) and some batter to hold all these ingredients together. It also requires some skills as these layers have to be flipped twice before being eaten. (I can do that😏!) Otafuku sauce is special sauce for the Hiroshima style okonomiyaki.　

If you are on a diet, I would definitely recommend the Hiroshima one! It's filling with a lot of vegetables, but the Osaka one is yummy, too, more like pizza. I love both!😋

You can see this Ofuku netsuke at Tokyo National Museum. If you want to see other netsuke items, read the following posts, too!