Mochi, a food made from pounded rice, is traditionally prepared and eaten during Japan's New Year holiday season.
Mochi is made from glutinous rice that is steamed and pounded until it becomes a sticky, elastic dough. During mochitsuki, groups traditionally pound the rice with a wooden mallet while another person turns and moistens the dough. Today, many households buy prepared mochi rather than making it from scratch.
New Year's mochi appears in several forms. Kagami mochi is a decorative arrangement of two rounded rice cakes topped with a bitter orange and displayed in homes. Ozōni is a New Year's soup containing mochi, with recipes varying by region and family.
Mochi should be chewed carefully because its stickiness and firmness can create a choking hazard, especially for older people and young children. Toshikoshi soba, another New Year's food, is eaten on New Year's Eve but is a noodle dish rather than rice cake.