京都の粘土団子

How to Make Them

There are two parallel traditions for making seed balls. Fukuoka Masanobu (福岡正信, 1913–2008) developed his method as part of natural farming (自然農法) — pure clay, no nutrients, as many species as possible. You don't choose what grows. You offer seeds, and nature selects. Western methods use fewer species, add compost for a nutrient boost, sometimes cayenne or cinnamon. More gardening technique, less philosophy.

For Kyoto native restoration: use Fukuoka's clay-heavy approach as the foundation, but borrow the Western addition of a small amount of compost. The best of both.

Clay / 粘土

The most important ingredient. This is the armor that protects seeds from birds, insects, sun, and drying.

Ratio

Steps

1. Prepare seeds. Mix all species together in a bowl. If using deterrents (唐辛子 / tougarashi, シナモン / cinnamon), add them now.
2. Prepare clay. Break up clumps, sift through mesh to remove stones and debris. If using akadama, crush to powder first. Mix compost into clay while everything is still dry — get a uniform color, no streaks.
3. Add water slowly. A few drops at a time. Knead like bread dough. Target: holds together when squeezed, does not crack when pressed, does not stick to your hands, does not drip water.
4. Work in seeds. Press, fold, knead. Seeds must not show on the surface — any seed visible on the outside will be eaten by birds. The clay is armor. Aim for 2–3 seeds per finished ball.
5. Form balls. Pinch off a piece, roll between your palms. 2–4 cm across. Spheres are ideal but irregular shapes are natural and fine.
6. Polish. After a few hours of drying, when half-dry (半乾き), pick the balls up and roll them once more in your palms to smooth the surface. A smooth surface (つるつる) sheds rain better, resists crumbling, and protects seeds longer. Fukuoka's nendo dango were known for being notably hard and smooth — more like pottery than mud balls. This step is absent from most Western guides.
7. Dry completely. Lay in a single layer on newspaper or cardboard. Dry in shade — not direct sun, which causes cracking. Good ventilation helps. 2–4 days depending on humidity. Done when they click, not thud, tapped together.

Troubleshooting

Why it works

A ball sitting on the ground touches it at a single point. During the day, the ball absorbs heat. At night, it cools. The temperature difference causes condensation — dew — to form at the contact point, exactly where the seeds need moisture to germinate. The shape itself is a watering mechanism.

The clay shell blocks birds from seeing the seeds, blocks insects from accessing them, blocks sun from drying them out, blocks wind from blowing them away. When rain comes, water penetrates slowly. The seeds inside sense moisture, temperature, and light through the thinning shell. They wake up on their own schedule.

Suggested mix

If you're buying one batch of seeds at a garden center, here's the priority order:

1. ハギ — the backbone. Fixes soil. Grows anywhere.
2. キキョウ — conservation. Endangered. Easy seeds.
3. ナデシコ — beauty. Tough. Long bloom.
4. ススキ — structure. Erosion control.
5. カワミドリ — protective scent. Pollinators.
6. ヒオウギ — Kyoto's own. Good seed size.
7. オミナエシ — yellow flowers. Autumn meadow.
8. ノカンゾウ — if you can get seed (or scatter root divisions separately)
9. サルナシ — bear and monkey food. Buy as vine, extract seeds from fruit.
10. アケビ — bear food. Buy vine or find fruit at autumn markets.
11. フジバカマ — if you can find it. Check conservation groups first.
12. キイチゴ — if you find wild berries, save the seeds

Quick reference

KYOTO SEED BALL RECIPE / 京都の粘土団子レシピ

RATIO:  5 clay : 2 compost : 1 seeds
        (or 6-7 clay : 1 seeds, Fukuoka pure)

CLAY:   木節粘土 (kibushi) or 赤土 (akatsuchi)
WATER:  A little. Then less than you think.

MIX     → dry ingredients first
KNEAD   → bread dough consistency
SEEDS   → hide them. No seeds on surface.
ROLL    → 2-4 cm balls
POLISH  → re-roll when half-dry
DRY     → shade, 2-4 days, good airflow
STORE   → paper bag, cool and dry
SCATTER → before rain. 梅雨 (June) is ideal.

DONE.