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“Hina-arare” - Grilled bits of rice cake for the Girls' Festival images

“Hina-arare” - Grilled bits of rice cake for the Girls' Festival

“Hina-arare” are sweet rice cakes eaten for the Girls’ Festival on March 3. There are mainly two kinds depending on what they are made of; glutinous rice and ordinary rice. Kanto people are more familiar with the one made of ordinary rice while Kansai people are more familiar with glutinous rice on…(76 words)

OKAKI-sun image

OKAKI-sun

Mochi (Rice cake) Kansai Kanto Cake Okaki Arare
What is Okaki? images

What is Okaki?

Okaki is one of Japanese traditional snacks made of rice (glutinous rice). In order to make okaki, rice is first polished, cleaned and steamed to make into mochi. When mochi is hardened, it will be cut into smaller pieces for drying. This drying process is the most difficult step for professional o…(83 words)

OKAKI-sun image

OKAKI-sun

Wagashi Mochi (Rice cake) Okaki Rice cracker
Traditional Japanese Snacks Yokohama Style images

Traditional Japanese Snacks Yokohama Style

When you think of traditional Japanese snacks, senbei (rice crackers) surely comes to mind. But have you heard of "arare"? Arare are bite-sized Japanese crackers made - like their senbei cousins - from glutinous rice and flavored with soy sauce. The size and shapes are what distinguish arare from s…(300 words)

Former Deep Japan Writer image

Former Deep Japan Writer

Yokohama Japanese Beer Soy sauce Traditional Mochi (Rice cake) Yen Beef Snacks Eat
“OKAKI” and “OSENBEI” images

“OKAKI” and “OSENBEI”

I would recommend “OKAKI” and “OSENBEI” – both are one of the most popular snacks in Japan. OKAKI is essentially toasted cut and dried MOCHI rice cake. SENBEI is originally based on uruchimai, a non-glutinous rice – grind uruchimai, steam, dry, toast and brush with a flavoring sauce. Often both of…(109 words)

OKAKI-sun image

OKAKI-sun

Soy sauce Mochi (Rice cake) Rice cracker Sugar Toast Mayonnaise
“Isobe-maki” images

“Isobe-maki”

I would recommend to wrap “mochi (rice cake)” in “nori (laver)” seaweed. It’s one of the nicest traditional cooking style. You might want to add a little bit of sugar to soy sauce, dip well-toasted cut pieces of mochi in that sauce and wrap the rice cake with nori. This is called “Isobe-maki”. Y…(68 words)

OKAKI-sun image

OKAKI-sun

Soy sauce Mochi (Rice cake) Sugar
Sakura in Asakusa images

Sakura in Asakusa

Denbouin Garden will be opened to public from mid-March through early May. This Japanese garden is usually closed. The best time will be late March or early April when Sakura blooms. (The photos in this page are taken in late March or early April last year).entrance fee: 300 yentime: 10:00 - …(123 words)

Keiko, OTT image

Keiko, OTT

Asakusa Cherry blossom Hanami (Cherry Blossom Viewing) Garden Japanese garden Mochi (Rice cake) Park River Shop Walk
Yatai Foods: Savory Treats on a Stick images

Yatai Foods: Savory Treats on a Stick

Japan has many different festivals - matsuri - throughout the year and no festival is complete without food from yatai food stalls (屋台). Yatai sell sweet and savory foods and a lot of that is food on a stick.Ayu - あゆ: This small fish is very popular in Japan and is served both grilled on a …(232 words)

David image

David

yatai Japanese festivals Fish sausage Tera (Temple) Jinjya (Shrine) Mochi (Rice cake) squid
“Oshiruko” can make you hot from the core of your body! images

“Oshiruko” can make you hot from the core of your body!

“Oshiruko” is one of the most popular winter foods in winter. Oshiruko is a sweet red-bean soup with mochi or shira-tama (rice‐flour dumplings). It tastes very sweet and keeps you warm especially during cold season where people consume energy a lot. Some people enjoy putting “Arare” (very small ri…(58 words)

OKAKI-sun image

OKAKI-sun

Mochi (Rice cake) Oshiruko (Sweet red bean soup) Winter
Great traditional Japanese Winter Snack!! Yaki Mochi. もーやいちゃう images

Great traditional Japanese Winter Snack!! Yaki Mochi. もーやいちゃう

Here's a way to eat mochi that's been passed down generations. In the winter time many Japanese homes use a Stove to heat their rooms.Some keep a kettle on top to keep the room humid.These stoves can also be used to make Yaki Mochi.Get some aluminum foil and place it on top of the Stove…(99 words)

Yuuki I image

Yuuki I

Soy sauce Sea Mochi (Rice cake) Sugar Winter
Japanese sweets : “Kaichu Shiruko” images

Japanese sweets : “Kaichu Shiruko”

Kaichu Shiruko is a dried red bean soup put inside a pieces of rice cake (“Monaka” skin). It becomes ready for eating with hot water having been poured in the cup just like the cup ramen (instant Chinese noodles in a cup). As there are a variety of shapes, you can enjoy both its look as well as tas…(88 words)

OKAKI-sun image

OKAKI-sun

Sweets Souvenir Ramen noodles Mochi (Rice cake) Shop Cake
Where can I participate in a mochi-making "Mochi-tsuki"event? images

Where can I participate in a mochi-making "Mochi-tsuki"event?

Mochi-tsuki event takes place when people celebrate something and it’s always a happy event. As it is often held at local shopping center events or festivals, you might want to check out such local information first. I also know some hotels hold mocha-tsuki event as a part of their New Year’s even…(157 words)

totowatanabe image

totowatanabe

Event Mochi (Rice cake) Shopping New year
The Doll's Festival images

The Doll's Festival

The Doll's Festival (March 3rd) is the day to celebrate the growth of girls. As bringers of good luck, we eat rhombus-shaped mochi and Hina-arare (sweetened rice-flour cakes for offering at the Dolls' Festival). Hina-arare have 4 colorful rice cakes (pink, green, yellow and white) representing four…(93 words)

OKAKI-sun image

OKAKI-sun

Trip Mochi (Rice cake) Rice cracker Hinaarare Japanse event
Making Mochi by Hand for New Years images

Making Mochi by Hand for New Years

My family always makes handmade mochi at the end of the year. It turns in to party that starts at about 6:00am when we start to steam the mochi-rice. My father-in-law always hands me a beer and all the men stand outside waiting for the rice to be ready for a pounding. My wife and mother-in-law wise…(383 words)

Jeff Aasgaard image

Jeff Aasgaard

Mochi (Rice cake) New year Event Beer Udon noodles Winter
Title: Sweets related to Sakura flowers images

Title: Sweets related to Sakura flowers

The “Sakura” is one of the representative flowers of spring in Japan and we Japanese love them.There are a lot of sweets related to the Sakura such as Sakura-mochi (rice cake with bean paste wrapped in a preserved cherry lea), Sakura-manjyu (steamed bun), Sakura-ame (candies) , Sakura-yokan (swee…(91 words)

OKAKI-sun image

OKAKI-sun

Spring Cherry blossom Mochi (Rice cake) Cherry Rice cracker Flower Sweets Cake
Children’s Day images

Children’s Day

Kodomo-no-hi falls on May 5, called "Tango-no-sekku", Boys' festival. In Japan, we have various customs on the day. We hang out carp streamers (Koinobori) or decorate the Boys' May Festival dolls to pray that boys in the house will live their lives strongly as well as to drive out an evil spirit. O…(87 words)

OKAKI-sun image

OKAKI-sun

Children Mochi (Rice cake) Dolls Live Children's Day (Japan)
Much Mochi images

Much Mochi

Mochi - rice cakes - can be eaten anytime of the year, but many people like to enjoy toasted mochi during the colder months. Wrap a strip of nori (pressed seaweed) around the mochi, bruch a bit of soy sauce on it, and pop it in the over toaster (do NOT use a western style toaster - you'll ruin it)…(339 words)

Joe Peters image

Joe Peters

Mochi (Rice cake) Soy sauce Toast Umeboshi New year Winter
"Tanaye" & "Club Harie" images

"Tanaye" & "Club Harie"

These are special sweets "Taneya" designed for Children's Day this year. Aren't they pretty? Inside the paper boxes, they have several Chimaki, a cake wrapped in bamboo leaves, special sweets for Children's Day in Japan. Their mochi skin is so smooth and I bet you will be impressed with your first …(246 words)

EmiOnishi image

EmiOnishi

Tokyo Visit Department store Mochi (Rice cake) Sweets Children Cake Shiga Wagashi tradition
Japan Festivals for December and January. images

Japan Festivals for December and January.

There would be opportunities to join a community Mochi-zuki making event at the annual year-end/year-beginning season (in Japanese it is called Nen-matsu, Nen-sho). Please ask the hotel concierge or someone who speaks English where your City office is. Then, you can go over to the City office and i…(130 words)

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Japan Event Mochi (Rice cake) New year Japanese food Japanese Culture City Hotel English
Mochi-tsuki events images

Mochi-tsuki events

The rice cake making is carried out in a shrine,temple and a martial arts school, local community from about Decenber20 through around January 15.However, it is not often performed on December 29. This is because there is the jinx that a Japanese avoids a day to arrive of 4 and 9.Most of th…(121 words)

FRITZ image

FRITZ

Soy sauce Event Tera (Temple) Jinjya (Shrine) Mochi (Rice cake)
Make Mochi! A Fun New Years Family Event in Japan images

Make Mochi! A Fun New Years Family Event in Japan

In my opinion, there is nothing better to do in Japan during winter than participate in "mochi-tsuki" and eat fresh and delicious mochi. Mochi-tsuki is a Japanese New Year's tradition and events will be held around the first of January. Usually "Mochi-tsuki" is hosted by the neighbourhood communit…(123 words)

GenS image

GenS

Mochi (Rice cake) Japan Event Jinjya (Shrine) Japanese New Year New year Winter Art
Sakuramochi hits the spot images

Sakuramochi hits the spot

My favorite dessert during the spring time is sakura-mochi, which is a pink and sweet rice cake with red bean paste and a sakura leaf wrapped around the mochi. It is delectable and is perfect after any meal. I love how the saltiness of the leaf complements the sweetness of the mochi. This is th…(68 words)

RieS image

RieS

Mochi (Rice cake) Cherry blossom Cherry Dessert Spring
Mochi - different experiences with different flavors images

Mochi - different experiences with different flavors

My favorite O-kashi are mochi (Japanese rice cakes) of all different shapes and flavors. These are so fun to eat, because the selection of mochi change depending on the season. During the spring, there is sakuramochi (pink rice cakes with anko inside and a sakura leaf wrapped around the mochi); dur…(140 words)

RieS image

RieS

Mochi (Rice cake) Cherry blossom Strawberry Spring Summer Winter
Looking for traditional snacks? Go to Kamakura! images

Looking for traditional snacks? Go to Kamakura!

During the holidays, I always reserve a day to wander around Kamakura. I love Kamakura and how every time I go, I come back full and satisfied. Kamakura has one of the best Japanese restaurants and wagashi (Japanese snacks) places. If you walk along the main road right outside the station, there is…(152 words)

RieS image

RieS

Kamakura Tokyo Mochi (Rice cake) Holidays
New Years images

New Years

New Years is a family event so there are not many tours or much excitement surrounding the new year like there is in the US. My family makes mochi and then we head to Kiyoshikojin Temple (http://www.kiyoshikojin.or.jp/en/) for hatsumode (first temple visit of the year) early in the morning. Som…(103 words)

Jeff Aasgaard image

Jeff Aasgaard

New year Event Tera (Temple) Mochi (Rice cake) Hatsumode
Kagami biraki: The opening of New Year's rice cakes images

Kagami biraki: The opening of New Year's rice cakes

Kagami biraki is the practice of eating the kagamimochi (round mirror-shaped rice cakes) that were offered to the gods. It is supposed to bring a sense of closure to Osyogatsu (New Year’s Holidays). Kagami biraki is to get power from the year gods to live happily for one year. For Kagami biraki, pe…(92 words)

OKAKI-sun image

OKAKI-sun

Holidays Mochi (Rice cake) New year
Shopping in Kyushu images

Shopping in Kyushu

Yufuin (湯布院) is one of the main tourist attractions of Kyushu. It is in Oita prefecture, which is famous for its hot springs. If you are looking for traditional Japanese goods, cute souvenirs or delicious food, this is the place to go!Yufuin is a small area (similar to Komachi-dori in Kamaku…(116 words)

RieS image

RieS

Shopping Kyushu Souvenir Visit Tea Soy sauce Food Kamakura Mochi (Rice cake) Jewelry
Japanese sweets : “Habutae-mochi” images

Japanese sweets : “Habutae-mochi”

When you visit Fukui prefecture, I would like to recommend its famous sweets “Habutae-mochi” for souvenir. They are made of glutinous rice and have a very smooth texture. The name comes from how it look so fine and beautiful like silk fabrics. It is most agreeable to the taste!(49 words)

OKAKI-sun image

OKAKI-sun

Mochi (Rice cake) Visit Souvenir Fukui