In the 8th century, it was a treat that only nobility and emperors could enjoy on special occasions. By the 13th and 14th centuries, mochi began to be part of tea ceremonies, making it accessible to Japanese society.
Mochi is a sweet made from rice flour and beans, with a sticky texture. Cooked rice is pounded by two people using wooden mallets in a traditional mortar; they take turns pounding, crushing, and moistening the mochi.
Mochi is a traditional Japanese sweet used on special occasions that could range from a girl’s first menstruation to building a house or the birth of a child. For certain events, special mochis are prepared, such as during New Year’s, when a mochi called mochitsuki is made, and families gather to pound rice and make the pastries in a traditional way.
Although considered a sweet, mochi can also be used to accompany udon, sweet soups, or vegetables.
An interesting fact is that in the movie Memoirs of a Geisha, the geisha Sayuri is seen giving a mochi to Nobu to indicate she is ready to lose her virginity.
By Kropsoq - photo taken by Kropsoq, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=524134
