Dig Japan vol.10 “Kashiwa-mochi (柏餅)”

Kashiwa-mochi (柏餅) 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 in addition to “Kashiwa-mochi,” there are other distinctive names in each region.

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

Kashiwa-mochi is a rice cake made by kneading joshinko (rice flour) 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 kashiwa-mochi during the Boy's Festival, which originated in Edo, spread throughout Japan through Sankinkotai (参勤交代), but until the 1930s, kashiwa-mochi 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 kashiwa-mochi. Since then, oak leaves have been imported from Korea and China, and kashiwa-mochi wrapped in oak leaves has become mainstream in Japan. It 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. The character ‘Kashiwa (柏)’ originally refers to the coniferous tree Konotegashiwa, which belongs to the cypress family, and it is completely different from the leaves used for kashiwa-mochi. Strictly speaking, it is correct to use the character ‘槲’ for oak, a member of the Fagaceae family used in kashiwa-mochi.

Sentaro's kashiwa-mochi (Photography by 𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐨)

The most popular types of filling are tsubuan and koshian, but misoan is also used. For instance, white miso paste is used in Kyoto. In addition, one made with yomogi-mochi (蓬餅) have also come into existence in recent years. The wrapping leaf is used for flavoring and packaging purposes, so it is generally not suitable for eating. In some places, kashiwa-mochi wrapped in a plastic sheet shaped like an oak leaf is available to save on material costs. In addition to ”Kashiwa-mochi,” it is also called by different names depending on the region, including ”Shibamochi,” ”Chimaki,” ”Karadago,” ”Omaki,” ”Dango,” and ”Ibara-mochi.”

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.