1.
rice-bran pickling bed
A fermenting mash of rice bran, salt and water in which vegetables are buried to make 糠漬け pickles. It is kept for years and must be stirred by hand regularly to stay healthy.
Cultural note
A 糠床 is a living thing in a Japanese kitchen: it is stirred daily to let in air, topped up with fresh bran and salt, and often passed down in a family. Each household's bed gives its pickles a distinctive taste.