First, we will start with a question – what is mochi?
The answer is that, basically, it’s a sticky rice cake made up of glutinous rice, also known as mochigome. Mochi is one of the traditional Japanese desserts made by pounding the steamed rice grains using a tool called usu along with kine, which is a mortar and pestle. But nowadays it’s made by machines or at home.
So let’s start our sweet journey of knowing the 22 types of mochi to try in Japan:
1. The New Year’s Mochi
Mochi has a lot of traditional factors in Japanese culture. It basically means sticky and is known to be a homophone that resonates with the Japanese word “to hold.” People believe having mochi on new year’s eve is good for possessions of good luck in their lives.
2. Kinako Mochi
The freshly made mochi is covered in kinako, also known as roasted soybean powder, along with sugar. This is also one of the new year’s fortes. The kinako powder appends the nutty flavor, which can be the best snack for any evening.
3. Kagami Mochi
It’s mostly served without any added flavors, and most of the time, people try to soften it again as it turns out to be dry because of the display.
4. Ozoni
Ozoni is a way of eating mochi in which you can directly add it to soup or grill your mochi before adding it to your soup.
5. Sakura Mochi
In the Kansai region, the domyojiko, or barbarously bitten rice grains, are dyed in pink color and wrapped with the filling of red bean paste. It is finished with adding pickled sakura leaf that pervades the rice with its flavors.
6. Yakimochi
Yakimochi is known as”grilled mochi.” It is any type of mochi that is cooked, grilled, or baked.
7. Daifuku Mochi
The daifuku is known for having a soft, smooth, and sticky mochi dough that is wrapped around the filling consisting of sweet red bean paste.
8. Bota Mochi
It is basically the opposite of daifuku.
Instead of having read bean paste as a filling, it has mochi as a filling in daifuku.
9. Yatsuhashi
It is a Kyoto specialty and is baked and freshly served.
10. Hishi Mochi
It’s a unique mochi with tricolor, and it is cut into the shape of diamonds. It is mostly served at Hina Matsuri, also called ‘Girl’s day’ in Japan.
11. Hanabira Mochi
Hanabira mochi is well known for its beautiful look and texture. It is categorically designed to look like a flower petal.
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12. Isobe Maki
It is a different kind of savory mochi usually made in single or individual fresh pieces of mochi.
13. Kakimochi
If you ever stock up too much mochi, then don’t throw it if it gets dry; you can have kakimochi, which is made of dry mochi.
14. Kusa Mochi
Kusa mochi is called “grass mochi” because it has a bright green color. It is made up of Japanese mugwort, which is kneaded along with mochi.
15. Kiri Mochi
Kiri mochi is usually grilled and softened, then added to the soup to serve hot.
16. Dango
Dango is one of the types of mochi but not mochi. The only difference is mochi is made up of steamed rice, but dango is made of sweet rice flour.
17. Mitarashi Dango
Mitarashi dango are usually served in shrines; they are skewered and coated with sweet soya beans.
18. Hanami Dango
Cute rice cakes are popular in the early spring for the sakura season, also known as flower-viewing season. However, they can be found all over the season.
19. Warabi Mochi
Even though it doesn’t contain mochi rice, it’s still good in taste as well as texture.
20. Kuzumochi
Kuzumochi is made up of flour that is found in the root of the kudzu plant. It doesn’t contain mochi rice, but still, it’s tasty.
21. Ume Daifuku
The plums are first coated with anko, which is red bean paste then the whole thing is wrapped in the mochi.
22. Coffee daifuku
It’s a normal daifuku filled with coffee inside the mochi.
Conclusion
Japan is rich in culture and heritage and never lets us down with its distinctive flavors. For dishes like mochi, it has a variety of options to choose from, so don’t forget to try one during your stay in Japan.
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