January 11 / Kagami-Biraki ceremony / Mochi party
Monday, January 9, 2017
Because rice is a condensed power of the Sun.
(As you know,Shinto's top god is Sun goddess,Amaterasu)
We eat Mochi especially in winter season because it warms our stomach.
I found movie of traditional way to make mochi.
But many people buy square cut mochi at supermarket these days
or people make homemade mochi using a mochi machine or bakery machine that has mochi pounding function.
Around New Year's day,we can see mochi pounding all over Japan.
Process of mochi pounding means sacred intercourse of nature.
Usu wood bowl as a woman = 凹
Kine wood stick as a man = 凸
and mochi is a new born baby of nature.
A gift from the Sun and land.
photo by wikipedia
That green mochi is made from Japanese herb mugwort.(Yomogi)
Green mochi is called Yomogi-Mochi.
This is Japanese New year ornament "Kagami-Mochi".
Kagami-Mochi is one of the Japanese New year's ornament.
(Shimenawa-Kazari,Kadomatsu,and Kagami-Mochi)
The orange means the Sun.
Japanese people display this sacred ornament in their house
from the winter solstice or Christmas to about January 11th.
January 11th is a Kagami-Biraki day.
People eat mochi of Kagami-mochi all over Japan.
At home,office,school and so on.
This year's my Kagami-mochi↑
Last year's my Kagami-mochi.↓
This ornament set is very artificial style.
Let's open the packed mochi on January 11.
Please throw away garbage of Kagami-Mochi.
You don't have to take garbage to shrine.
Other ornaments,Kadomatsu and Shimenawa-Kazari are burned in Shinto shrine after use.
There are many toppings for Mochi.
photo by photolibrary
Kinako is pretty popular.
Roasted soy bean powder is very aromatic.
photo by photolibrary
Oshiruko/Shiruko/Zenzai
Sweet red bean soup with grilled mochi.
Some people love Natto with mochi.
photo by photolibrary
Deep fried mochi is called Kakimochi.