Dango

On a given day he went to the parental home of his bride to inquire after the health of the family, when they gave him some dango (dumplings) to eat.

Dango are related to mochi in that both are made from glutinous rice flour. Dango, however, tend to be dense, sticky, and not stuffed with fillings.

Grill the dangos until marks appear and then lightly brush the thick sauce over it.

However the manner in which dango, bribery, and collusive activity was dealt with in Japan took a dramatic turn in 1993, beginning with the corruption scandal, which culminated in the arrest of Mr. Shini Kanemaru […]

Though dango is illegal, causing jailings of a number of prefectural governors and construction executives, the practice remains widespread. The annual total of dango bribes and kickbacks has at times surpassed $500 million; the sum is more or less officially recorded because construction firms have been allowed to claim a tax deduction for these "business expenses."

In spite of the many laws enacted to curb dango, it remains "the most popular form of price cartel in the public procurement market" and is rampant throughout Japan because of the "weakness of the political will to quench corruption and the lack of development of law enforcement mechanisms".