If you love Japanese food, you definitely know all about the soft and chewy mochi. It’s made by pounding steamed glutinous rice into a smooth dough, which can then be enjoyed with some soy sauce, sprinkled with kinako (roasted soybean powder), filled with anko (sweet red bean paste), etc. Mochi is an incredibly versatile ingredient that can be enjoyed in both savory and sweet ways, so it’s easy to understand why it’s widely beloved.
The act of pounding rice into mochi is called mochitsuki–a tradition that dates back more than 1,000 years. During the autumn harvest season and New Year’s, communities often come together to share the joy of making and eating mochi.
Sometimes local temples and shrines host these mochitsuki events for anyone to join, so I recommend doing a quick Google search during your visit. It’s a quintessential Japanese experience!
Learn more about mochitsuki: https://shorturl.at/pbeV2
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