Mochi at the heart of Japanese festivities

Mochi, those delicious glutinous rice cakes, play a central role in Japanese tradition, occupying an essential place at the heart of festivities and celebrations in Japan.

Their history goes back centuries, and they've become a must for events such as New Year's Eve and Hina Matsuri.

The Hina MatsuriHina Matsuri, also known as "Doll Festival" or "Girl Festival", is a traditional Japanese celebration dedicated to the health and happiness of young girls in the family. The central element of the Hina Matsuri is the arrangement of a set of dolls, called "hina-ningyo".

These dolls represent the emperor, empress, members of the court and other characters from the imperial era. The dolls are carefully arranged on a multi-level dais, recreating an imperial scene.

The festival is also marked by the tasting of special dishes such as "hina-arare" (small colored rice balls) and "hishimochi" (rice cakes of various shapes and colors).

The preparation and tasting of Mochis is of great cultural importance, offering a diversity of flavors and symbolic meanings.

During Japanese festivities, mochi are prepared and eaten in a variety of ways, highlighting regional variations and symbolic meanings. Originally from China, these glutinous rice cakes are a must.

As a result, their preparation can vary from traditional recipes to more modern creations, such as iced mochi or chocolate mochi. Mochis are of great cultural importance, symbolizing harmony, fulfillment and good fortune.

What's more, tasting them is a tradition rooted in Japanese culture, and these delicacies are now enjoyed at many events, offering a unique taste experience rich in history.

For example, at New Year's, the samurai would decorate kagami mochi (the traditional New Year's cake), sets of two overlapping mochis, in their homes for good luck.

Today, mochi is even enjoyed in ice cream form to mark special occasions, and some companies offer vegan iced mochi to satisfy the taste buds of Canadians.

Once the preserve of emperors and kings, mochi are now enjoyed by everyone.

Prepared in a variety of ways, whether as kagami mochi for New Year's, glazed mochis for special occasions, or in the form of various glutinous rice pastries for other festivals, Mochis occupy an important place in Japanese tradition, offering a variety of flavors and symbolic meanings.

Visit here the art of tasting iced mochi.