Mochitsuki typically takes place on New Year's Day, but my friend’s family announced the other day that they just wanted to make mochi. They also believed that this ceremony would be a great opportunity to introduce my friend Chelsea and me to Japanese traditions.
Mochitsuki is a ritual that has been practiced for a thousand years. While the first mochi making date is unclear, the first recorded account of mochi being used for New Year's dates back to the Heian period (794- 1192).
Because rice is consumed on a regular basis, it is one of the most important crops in Japanese society. In Shintoism, people pray and thank Inari, the rice gods, for successful rice harvests. The Japanese people also believe in the spirit of rice, so they began to consume mochi which they believed would re-energize those who eat it; it is a belief that mochi is good for one’s health and well-being. As such, mochi is usually consumed on special occasions to revitalize the soul.
Mochitsuki is also a great socializing opportunity for family, friends and community members who partake in this tradition.
Mochitsuki is definitely connected to Japanese environment, as the tradition demonstrates how widely rice is consumed by the Japanese people, in a glutinous form as well as the more common fluffy style. Mochitsuki also shows the significance of rice in Japanese agriculture.
