Kagami Mochi, the Japanese New Year Decorative Cake

During the end of the year and New Year’s holidays in Japan, you can see kagami mochi, two white donut-shaped objects with a mandarin on top of it. What is this snowman-like object?

The Kagami Mochi and Its Meaning

Kagami mochi is used as a traditional Japanese New Year decoration. It is usually made up of two layers of round mochi (rice cake) topped with a mandarin.

“Kagami” means “mirror” in Japanese, and it is often said that its shape resembles a bronze mirror, which was considered a treasure by the ancient Japanese. It is believed that by double decking such noble items, your fortune will also double. The mandarin on top is called dai-dai and it is supposed to give hope and prosperity to the following descendants. All this makes it a very lucky item.

It is usually decorated with Japanese decorative paper, ferns, and dried kelp. However, decorations vary from region to region and family to family.

Where to Place the Decoration?

According to Japan’s Kagami Mochi Association, placing the cake in many areas of your house is recommended. Each location such as the kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom has a corresponding deity who will be pleased if you display the auspicious item.

You can find different sizes of kagami mochi everywhere in Japan, ranging from small to extra large. Supermarkets sell decoration sets during December.

How Do the Japanese Eat It?

It is also believed that the kami’s power resides in kagami mochi. To obtain the power of these deities during the New Year, people usually cook it in a soup called o-zoni. Another dish in which to cook it is a dessert called o-shiruko, a kind of soup made from sweet red beans.

When preparing it for the soup, Japanese people do not use knives to cut the rice cakes but break them with wooden hammers. This procedure is called kagami biraki (“opening the mirror”)

Are you curious about other Japanese New Year traditions? Read our special article here.

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