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Beko Mochi ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

  • Hokkaido Prefecture

    Beko Mochi

Beko Mochi

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  • Main lore areas

    All of Hokkaido Prefecture

  • Main ingredients used

    Shiratamako(=glutinous rice flour) or joshinko(=glutinous rice flour), starch, sugar, brown sugar

  • History/origin/related events

    "Beko mochi" is a local sweet shaped like leaves with branch-like patterns on it with mainly black and white, and has been very familiar with Hokkaido locals. People eat this mochi during the Boy’s festival, May 5th in Hokkaido. There is also a sweet called "Beko mochi" in Aomori Prefecture, with same ingredient but different shape and patterns.
    It is common to see leave-like black and white two color "Beko mochi" but you can find ones with various shapes and colors, especially in the southern Hokkaido. Complete black "Beko mochi" used with brown sugar, colorful ones or "green yomogi" mugwort "Beko mochi", etc… There are also various shapes of mochi, not only leaves but also flower and round-shaped ones.
    There are some myths about the origin. It is said that a local sweet in Yamagata Prefecture called ‘Kujira mochi’ had progressed into leaf-shape in Hokkaido, but there is no evidence. People in some south Hokkaido still call it "Kujira mochi" instead of "Beko mochi" now.
    Likewise, there are many stories about the origin of the name; it may come from black-and-white color associated with "beko" (= cow in some areas in Japan), mixture of brown sugar looks like "bekkou" (= amber in Japanese), from ingredients "beiko" (= rice flour), etc.

  • Opportunities and times of eating habits

    Eaten during the boy’s festival in May, mainly in the southern Hokkaido. People also eat the mochi in the new year, equinoctial week or any auspicious occasions. "Beko mochi" used to be cooked at home with wooden mold. Nowadays you can buy it in the supermarkets all the year and eat any occasion. It’s very popular among children, too.

  • How to eat

    Mix with joshinko(=glutinous rice flour) and sugar to make dough. Get the dough into shape and steam. Use white sugar for white dough, brown sugar for dark color dough. You can add ‘yomogi’ mugwort to make green dough.
    In general, it is shaped with leaf with wooden mold, but also shaped it by hand or make it flower depending on families or confectioneries shop. You can keep some in the fridge. "Beko mochi" is popular among all ages because of chewy and soft texture and moderate sweetness.

  • Efforts for Preservation and Succession

    (Outline of the traditions, the preservation society, social media use, modern approaches to commercialization)
    "Beko mochi" have still been eaten in Hokkaido during boy’s festival. People used to make mochi at home with their families, but you can buy easily one at Japanese confectioneries and supermarkets these days.

RECIPE

Ingredients (Serves 4)

  • [White dough] Shiratamako(=glutinous rice flour) 70g
  • [White dough] Joshinko(=glutinous rice flour) 30g
  • [White dough] hot water 4 tbsp.
  • [White dough] White sugar 50g
  • [White dough] Salt A little
  • [Brown dough] Shiratamako(=glutinous rice flour) 70g
  • [Brown dough] Joshinko(=glutinous rice flour) 30g
  • [Brown dough] hot water 4 tbsp.
  • [Brown dough] Brown sugar 50g
  • [Brown dough] Salt A little

How to cook

  • 1. Mix joshinko(=glutinous rice flour) and shiratamako(=glutinous rice flour) together.

  • 2. Make white dough. Mix white sugar and salt, then add hot water to dissolve. Add half of rice flour mixture and knead them. When the dough is tough, moisten the dough until the dough gets fine and smooth. For brown dough, mix hot water and brown sugar to melt, then add salt. Knead them with the rest of rice flour. Put white dough and brown one together to make one stick, then cut into 8 pieces to make them leaves.(Veins are made with the back of a knife.)

  • 3. Place kitchen paper into the steamer, then place 2 on the steamer. Cover with a lid and steam for 20minutes. Take them out from the steamer, cool them by fan to make them shine.

provider : “Hokkaido local cuisine that we want to eat and share” (Sachiko Hoshizawa)

Recipes vary depending on the region and home.

Contact

Food Cultures Office, Overseas Market Development and Food Cultures Division, Food Industry Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

Tel:+81-3-3502-5516

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