Out with the old...

Out with the old, in with the new.

The Christmas decorations on top of the tansu (Japanese chest) in our living room have been replaced with their regular decorations, along with a display of kagami mochi (New Year's rice cake). This mochi is offered to the toshigami (gods of the New Year) and will be eaten early next year. This is a relatively simple disply: the mochi is sitting on new red and white paper topped with fern branches and what I think are bamboo leaves. The mochi itself is mass-produced and encased in plastic to prevent mould; this type is common in the city where few people are able to make their own mochi. Traditionally the mochi is pounded at home and made into two or three large fat discs, and the display would be bigger and more elaborate than this. The mochi is meant to be topped with a daidai (small bitter orange) but the only ones I could find that were small enough for this mochi were either plastic or came in bags of 6. The plastic one looked tacky and I have no idea what I'd do with 5 extra daidai, so I went without.

For a better idea of what a proper kagami mochi should look like, see here.

If we had a kamidana (household altar) or tokonoma (decorative alcove), the kagami mochi would be placed there. Perhaps on a toshidana (special New Years altar) along with sake, kaki (persimmons) and other offerings. Instead, the kagami mochi went to the most Japanese area of our apartment: on top of the kiridansu (Japanese chest made of paulownia wood) given to us by Hideaki's grandmother. She received it as a wedding present, so it must be at least 60 years old. Here is a better view of the chest, if you're interested:

It actually comes in three sections, each stacked on top of the other. The bottom one, with two wide drawers, is not shown.

Tags: new years new year japan oshougatsu 年末 mochi　

Comments

[Carlyn]

Amy;
I have a kagami mochi my aunt sent to me years ago....ha ha. it still sits in its box encased in a plastic mold. It was so pretty I hated to eat it. I imagine it has petrified by now...ha ha.

[mini]

hiya! was surfing around and found your site. i saw those mochi cakes at kotobukiya (the japanese grocery) here and was really curious as to what they were! now i know! :)

[Kat]

I hope you have a great 2006!
Look forward to reading your blog next year.

[Kirk]

Hi Amy - Wishing you a most Happy New Year!

[Amy]

Thanks for the New Year's wishes!

Carlyn, that is so funny- you might as well just keep using it. If not for New Years then maybe as a doorstop?

Glad your curiousity was satisfied- hope you drop by again.