Mochi

Lore & Background

The cultural significance of mochi in Japan is unique, with archaeological research showing homemade production increased beginning in the 6th century (Kofun period) when earthenware steamers became popular. A legend from the late 8th century describes a rich man who shot an arrow at a flat mochi, which transformed into a white bird and flew away, after which his rice field became barren, indicating that round white mochi was historically held to have spiritual power. During the Heian period (794–1185), mochi was used in Shinto events for childbirth and marriage, with emperors and nobles putting mochi into the mouths of 50-day-old babies and brides and grooms eating mochi together three days after the wedding.

Reader's Guide

Mochi remains a traditional food for Japanese New Year, with kagami mochi placed on family altars on December 28 and later broken and eaten in a ritual called kagami biraki. The custom of kagami mochi began among the samurai class during the Muromachi period, who decorated it with armor and swords and placed it in the tokonoma to pray for family prosperity. Over time, mochi evolved from being made without sweetener to incorporating sugar after Western confections were introduced by the Portuguese in the 17th century, with sweetened mochi becoming popular among the general public a century later. Today, mochi is produced both traditionally through community mochitsuki and modern assembly-line methods using machines that control temperature and consistency, with various seasonal specialties such as zōni, kinako mochi, sakuramochi, kashiwa-mochi, and hishi mochi.

Did You Know?

• Red rice was the original variant used in the production of mochi.
• The first recorded accounts of mochi being used as part of New Year's festivities are from the Heian period.
• Kagami mochi are composed of two spheres of mochi stacked on top of one another, topped with a bitter orange (daidai).
• Mochi is similar to dango, which is made with rice flour instead of pounded rice grains.