Dig Japan vol.10 “Kashiwamochi (柏餅)”

Kashiwamochi is wagashi made of a flat, round mochi filled with azuki bean paste, folded in half, and wrapped in an oak leaf. It originated in Edo and was made mainly in the Kanto region until the 1930s. In areas to the west of the Kinki area where oaks do not grow naturally, a leaf of Smilacaceae is sometimes used, and the name and filling vary depending on the region.

A wagashi confectioner, Sentaro's showcase (Photography by 𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐨)

Kashiwamochi is a rice cake made by kneading rice flour (joshinko) with water or hot water, forming it into a flat round shape, filling it with azuki bean paste, wrapping it in an oak leaf, and steaming it. It was born in Edo during the reign of the ninth Tokugawa shogun Ieshige and the tenth Tokugawa shogun Ieharu.

Since the old oak leaves do not fall off until new buds grow, it is said to carry the auspices of prosperity of descendants. It is thought that the culture of offering kashiwamochi during the Boy's Festival, which originated in Edo, spread throughout Japan through Sankinkotai, but until the 1930s, kashiwamochi made with oak leaves were mainly made in the Kanto region.

Before the one wrapped in an oak leaf, there existed mochi wrapped in leaves such as Sartoriibara (Smilacaceae), and in areas where oak trees did not grow wild, this type of mochi was popular as kashiwamochi. Since then, oak leaves have been imported from Korea and China, and kashiwamochi wrapped in oak leaves has become mainstream in Japan.

The kanji character “柏” often used to describe kashiwamochi actually refers to the coniferous tree “Konotegashiwa” of the cypress family, which is completely different from the leaves used in kashiwamochi. Strictly speaking, the correct character is “槲,” which refers to the oak tree of the beech family used in kashiwamochi.

Sentaro's kashiwamochi (Photography by 𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐨)

Kashiwamochi is a specialty of Kashima Shrine in Takasago City, Hyogo Prefecture, and is sold year-round, and there are several shops along the approach to the shrine. We can also find it in Japanese sweets shops and supermarkets all over Japan, especially around the Boy's Festival in May.

Kashiwamochi has different names, types of mochi, and fillings depending on the region and shop. Besides kashiwamochi, it is also called by different names depending on the region, including ”Shibamochi,” ”Chimaki,” ”Omaki,” ”Dango,” and ”Ibaramochi.” The mochi in kashiwamochi is often white, but some are made with kusamochi.

The filling is generally tsubuan or koshian, but in Kyoto, bean paste mixed with miso such as white miso is also used. The leaves that wrap the kashiwamochi are used for seasoning and packaging, so they are not usually suitable for eating. To keep material costs down, some are wrapped in plastic sheets shaped like kashiwa leaves instead of real ones.

This article was written by 𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐨, working as a freelance translator and press for overseas apparel brands in Japan, with the purpose of broadening her insight into the Japanese traditional culture.