Seven-herb rice porridge

On 7th of January, the Japanese have a custom to eat seven-herb rice porridge, NANAKUSA-KAYU in Japanese.  KAYU is added lots of water to rice and boil until soft.  According to a bilingual handbook on Japanese culture, as originally defined, eating KAYU on that day is said to ward off all kinds of diseases.  Then, the seven-herbs of spring are Japanese parsley(SERI), shepherd's purse(NAZUNA), cottonweed(GOGYO), chickweed(HAKOBERA), Lamium amplexicaule(HOTOKENOZA), a turnip(SUZUNA), and a Japanese radish(SUZUSHIRO), whereas we say the seven flowers of Autumn, but we do not eat the seven-flowers.  In my childhood, I used to remember the name of seven-herbs.  Actually, the Japanese generally eat so much quantity during winter, especially, Christmas and New year days, so this dish is quite gentle for our stomach and detoxify poisons from us.

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