Skip to main content.

Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

Character Size
Standard
Large
Menu
  1. Home
  2. Policies
  3. Food Export
  4. kyodo_ryori
  5. SEARCH&MENU
  6. Tochigi
  7. Kusa-mochi (Mochi mixed with mugwort)

Kusa-mochi (Mochi mixed with mugwort) ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

kyodo_ryori

  • Tochigi Prefecture

    Kusa-mochi (Mochi mixed with mugwort)

Kusa-mochi (Mochi mixed with mugwort)

Related images
Please refer to “Links and Copyrights” for information on secondary use of images.(Term of use)
  • Kusa-mochi (Mochi mixed with mugwort)

    Image Source : Tochigi Farmers Conference

  • Kusa-mochi (Mochi mixed with mugwort)
    DOWNLOAD

    Image Source : "Furusato no Washoku: Traditional Japanese Cuisine of Utsunomiya" (Yuji Kashiwamura/Hisae Handa)

  • Main lore areas

    All of Tochigi Prefecture

  • Main ingredients used

    Rice flour, Mugwort

  • History/origin/related events

    ‘Kusa-mochi’ is a mochi mixed with mugwort and served at the events from mid March to mid April, when mugwort sprouts and grows. There is a custom to offer ‘Kusa-mochi’ to the ‘Hina-kazari’ (decoration during the Girl’s Festival) during Girl’s Festival (also known as Doll’s Festival or March Festival) and to enjoy with ‘kinako’ (roasted soybean flour), but it was the Girl’s Festival in the luna calendar (in early April). Now we celebrate the Girl’s Festival on March 3rd, and it is not possible to obtain mugwort at that time. Therefore, people buy ‘Kusa-mochi’ at Japanese confectionaries. When the first baby girl was born, the family decorate the Hina Dolls from father’s parents or mother's parents to pray for the baby’s healthy growth. It is a custom for mothers to go back her parent’s home during the festival. Although some families offer red-and-white ‘Hishi-mochi’ (diamond-shaped mochi) or ‘Shirozake’ (sweet white sake), ‘Kusa-mochi’ is a must to offer.

  • Opportunities and times of eating habits

    ‘Kusa-mochi’ is a traditional food to be served during the Doll’s Festival to pray for girls’ healthy growth. Mugwort starts sprouting from late March to early April.

  • How to eat

    Pick young and soft mugwort and rinse well. Boil them in plenty of hot water, soak it to remove scum, then squeeze. Add water if you use a blender to mince the leaves. You can mince them with a knife for early-picked leaves. Put rice flour in a big bowl, add hot water and stir well until it gets soft as an earlobe. Add minced mugwort and mix well, then make small balls. You can freeze boiled mugwort to use it after its season. ‘Shungiku’ (crown daisy) can be replaced to mugwort.

  • Efforts for Preservation and Succession

    (Outline of the traditions, the preservation society, social media use, modern approaches to commercialization)
    You can buy this mochi at confectionaries in the prefecture or farmer’s market.

RECIPE

Ingredients (10 pieces)

  • Rice flour (Joshinko(glutinous rice flour)) 2 Cups (260g)
  • Hot water 1 1／2 cups
  • Mugwort (boiled) 80g
  • [Kinako(=Roasted soybean flour)] Kinako 5tbsp.
  • [Kinako(=Roasted soybean flour)] Sugar 3tbsp.
  • [Kinako(=Roasted soybean flour)] Salt 1／2tsp.

How to cook

  • 1. Squeeze mugwort. Crush it in a mortar, or use a blender with a little of water to mince.

  • 2. Put rice flour in a big bowl, add hot water and stir well until it gets soft as an earlobe. (Adjust the texture by adding hot water little by little and check how soft it is.) Tear the dough into the size of fist, then steam about 15 mins.

  • 3. Transfer steamed rice flour to a bowl, knead well with a wooden pestle. Add 1 and knead well.

  • 4. After mugwort is well-mixed, make 50~70g of balls, then press the center of balls gently.

  • 5. Mix kinako (roasted soybean flour), sugar and salt. Enjoy ‘Kusa-mochi’ with kinako (roasted soybean flour).

provider : "Furusato no Washoku: Traditional Japanese Cuisine of Utsunomiya" (Yuji Kashiwamura/Hisae Handa)

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

Top of This Page

MAFF Social Media

  • MAFF Facebook
  • MAFF YouTube

MAFF

Address : 1-2-1,Kasumigaseki,Chiyoda-ku,Tokyo 100-8950,Japan.

TEL : 03-3502-8111

Enterprise identification number : 5000012080001

Copyright : Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries