Mochi & Ozoni Audio Guide
Steamed glutinous rice pounded in a mortar until it turns into a stretchy, chewy mass: mochi, a food close to the Japanese heart. From an offering to the gods it grew into New Year's ozoni soup, the stacked kagami-mochi,…
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Welcome to the World of Mochi & Ozoni
Welcome to the world of mochi. On New Year's morning, a white lump softens and melts in a steaming bowl of soup — that is mochi. Unlike cooked rice, it is made by pounding steamed glutinous rice with mortar and pestle until every grain vanishes into a chewy, stretching whole. Bite into it and it pulls endlessly, like a thread that will not break. For the people of Japan, mochi is far more than food. There is the ozoni soup families share at the start of the year, the red-and-white rice cakes handed out on happy occasions. It is a taste of the special days, quietly present at life's milestones and the turning of the seasons. From region to region, the broth and the shape of the mochi differ in surprising ways, and behind each bowl lies the life and the wishes of that place. For a traveler, it is a gentle way to touch the spirit of prayer and celebration the Japanese have long held dear. Over the next hour or so, let's trace the story hidden behind this soft, stretching treat. Stop wherever a shop catches your eye, and listen at your own pace. To begin, let me tell you where this stretching white morsel came from — with the history of mochi.
What you'll hear on site
- The History of Mochi ¥200 · 7 days
- Types of Mochi ¥200 · 7 days
- Ozoni, East and West ¥200 · 7 days
- New Year and the Mochi-Pounding Tradition ¥200 · 7 days
- Eating Mochi Safely ¥200 · 7 days
- How to Enjoy Mochi ¥200 · 7 days
Unlock all stops for 7 days — ¥200 / 7 days
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