Imo Mochi / Sweet Potato Mochi ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

Wakayama Prefecture

Imo Mochi / Sweet Potato Mochi

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Main lore areas

Southern Area
Main ingredients used

Sweet potato, Glutinous rice flour

History/origin/related events

In regions along the Kumano Sea, where there is limited flat land suitable for rice cultivation due to the proximity of mountains to the sea, sweet potatoes (satsuma imo) became a staple food alongside barley. The red soil plateau makes it easy to cultivate sweet potatoes, and the sweet flavor of the harvested produce makes it a daily dietary staple, often replacing rice. The ingenuity of using fewer glutinous rice to make mochi from sweet potatoes played a role in its popularity.
Sweet potato cultivation in the Kumano region started during the Edo period. Umematsu Yasuke, a resident of Kushimoto, discovered the deliciousness of sweet potatoes during a visit to Hyuga in Kyushu and brought them back to Kushimoto. The climate and conditions of Kii Province (now Wakayama Prefecture) proved suitable for sweet potato cultivation, leading to widespread adoption in various parts of the southern part of the prefecture. During that time, sharing seedlings or cultivation methods outside the domain was prohibited to protect the domain's interests. Umematsu Yasuke, who brought sweet potatoes to the distant southern region of the prefecture, was posthumously honored, receiving recognition from the Governor of Wakayama Prefecture during the Meiji period.
Apart from "imomochi" (sweet potato rice cake), there are other local dishes using sweet potatoes, such as "ukeja" (sweet potato with tea), "imochagayu" (sweet potato rice porridge), "imogohan" (sweet potato rice), and "yude hoshiimo" (boiled dried sweet potatoes).
Opportunities and times of eating habits

Nowadays, it is enjoyed as a snack by both children and adults.
How to eat

When freshly made, it is soft and can be eaten as is, but it becomes firm when it cools down, so it is often grilled before eating. In the past, when sugar was precious, it was made with only the sweetness of sweet potatoes. However, nowadays, some people add sweet red bean paste to enhance the sweetness according to their preferences.
Efforts for Preservation and Succession

(Outline of the traditions, the preservation society, social media use, modern approaches at commercialization)
It is a classic snack that is always available at roadside stations and other places. There are also specialty shops that specialize in selling "imo mochi."

RECIPE

Ingredients (90)

Sweet potatoes (peeled) 4 kg
White mochi rice (=Glutinous rice Cake) About 2.2 kg
Toriko (=starch) As needed
An(=Sweet red bean paste) As needed (to taste)
Salt A pinch

How to cook

1. Wash the mochi rice and soak it in water overnight.
2. Peel the sweet potatoes, cut them into appropriate sizes, and remove any bitterness.
3. Steam the sweet potatoes, then place the mochi rice on top and steam again.
4. Transfer the mixture to a mochi-pounding machine, add 10g of salt, and pound.
5. Spread toriko (=starch) on a surface, place the pounded mixture, and add an(=sweet red bean paste) inside.

provider : "Let's tell and make the most of Wakayama's food ingredients and food culture"

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

Imo Mochi / Sweet Potato Mochi ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

Wakayama Prefecture

Imo Mochi / Sweet Potato Mochi

Main lore areas

Main ingredients used

History/origin/related events

Opportunities and times of eating habits

How to eat

Efforts for Preservation and Succession

RECIPE

Ingredients (90)

How to cook