*Manju is a traditional Japanese confection—a soft, pillowy steamed bun usually filled with sweet red bean paste. Mikoto-sama, the eldest son of Masaaki-sama and Mami-okusama, celebrated his 3rd birthday! 🎉Mikoto-sama, Happy Birthday! What Mami-okusama prepared with love was a smiling Winnie the Pooh! 🐻The dough was kneaded with generous amounts of kabocha (Japanese pumpkin), carrots, and sweet potatoes—all of Mikoto-sama’s favorites.Inside is Mami-okusama’s homemade smooth red bean paste—sugar-free, of course! A wonderful joint operation occurred in making this manju cake.Mei-sama, the eldest daughter, helped a great deal by kneading the dough and rolling the manju.To distract Mikoto-sama’s attention and keep it a surprise, Miyu-sama, the second daughter, played with Mikoto-sama the entire time the cake was being made.As for the taste of this cake, not only Mikoto-sama but the entire family was delighted!With cries of “Yummy! Delicious!” it became a moment full of smiles. ✨ And on his birthday, something truly moving occurred.On the day of, when the family returned home from an outing, there at the front entrance were three beautiful daikon radishes with their leaves still attached, quietly placed there!A neighbor, not knowing it was Mikoto-sama’s birthday, had delivered these pesticide-free daikon that they had grown themselves. Three daikon radishes, delivered on his 3rd birthday.A person who knew nothing, as if guided by something, chose that very day—and that very number—to deliver them . . .All too perfect to be called mere coincidence.It feels as though this quietly yet powerfully speaks of the precious existence of Mikoto-sama, who is connected to Meishu-sama’s lineage. “I want to make something for Mikoto with these daikon,” thought Mami-okusama, and she immediately made Anpanman (a beloved Japanese superhero character whose head is made of bread) daikon mochi. The fresh leaves were made into toza-ni style simmered greens, and with them, she designed the number “3” that beamed from the plate.Making full use of the delivered daikon, she created another birthday present. Mikoto-sama, surrounded by his favorite characters and his family’s love, was filled with joy.Warmly watching over him were Masaaki-sama and Mami-okusama, Mei-sama, and Miyu-sama.The precious, joyful scene of Masaaki-sama’s family vividly comes to mind. May Mikoto-sama’s 3rd year of life be filled with light each day within God’s great love. Photograph descriptions• Winnie the Pooh manju cakeFilled with homemade smooth red bean paste (koshian) made in a clay pot.For Mikoto-sama’s favorite vegetables: Kabocha and carrots were steamed in a clay pot, and sweet potato was roasted. Each was mashed and strained, then kneaded into the dough.The dough uses joshinko rice flour, salt, and water; shiratama glutinous rice flour, salt, and hot water.Each was kneaded separately, then steamed. The three types of strained vegetables were adjusted in their proportions during finishing, to get as close as possible to Pooh Bear’s coloring.The facial expression is made with black sesame paste, and the cheeks use strained carrots. Around the plate, flowers were also designed using manju. • Anpanman daikon mochiThis is the hijiki-free version of the hijiki daikon mochi recipe we previously introduced to everyone. The face was designed using hijiki and black sesame paste, carrots and freshly roasted sesame seeds.On top of the daikon mochi in the background is the number “3” that was made by pouring a mixture of rice flour and kudzu starch dissolved in liquid over the toza-ni style simmered daikon leaves, and then baking all of it together. For finishing, freshly roasted sesame seeds were placed on top, defining the shape further. ***About Mami-okusama (Mami Okada)She was born in Aichi Prefecture and grew up in a farming household. She is also known as “Japan’s vegan beauty.” During her studies at University of Tsukuba, she became actively involved in volunteer activities such as refugee support. She was also repeatedly asked to participate in the “Miss Tsukuba” contest and was approached by many modeling agencies, but she declined all of these offers as she wanted to focus on refugee support activities. In recognition of her efforts in refugee support, she received the “University of Tsukuba President’s Award” in 2012. She holds a license to teach English to intermediate and high school students. After graduating from university, she began working for World Church of Messiah in 2013. In 2014, she married Masaaki Okada (Masaaki-sama), the great-grandson of the founder of World Church of Messiah, Mokichi Okada (Meishu-sama 1882-1955), and the representative and successor of Kyoshu-sama. Currently, while raising three children, she is single-mindedly walking the path of God, including working more energetically unlike anyone else on the Sacred Word of the founder, “In the world of Miroku, humanity will follow a vegan diet,” which was resurrected in our day by Masaaki-sama. She currently resides in Atami City. Mikoto-sama, a birthday overflowing with joy!Likes, saves and shares are most welcome! ✨