Dig Japan vol.18 “Doyomochi (土用餅)”

Doyomochi is wagashi that traditionally eaten during “Doyo of summer,” or midsummer. It refers typically “Ankoromochi” which is a combination of azuki bean paste, which is said to ward off evil spirits, and mochi, which is said to give strength. Meanwhile, “Sasagemochi” sprinkled with salty boiled cowpea beans was originally eaten as doyomochi in the Hokuriku region.

Kanou Shoujuan's doyomochi (Photograohy via Kanou-shoujuan)

First of all, Doyo refers to the approximately 18 days before the beginning of spring, summer, autumn, and winter, and is one of the miscellaneous festivals on the calendar that originate from the five elements: wood, fire, earth, gold, and water. Although there are four Doyo a year, now it has become more common to refer to summer. And during Doyo of summer, there is a custom of eating doyomochi, as well as eel, freshwater clams, and eggs.

The origin of doyomochi is said to be, like eating eel, a way to beat the summer heat. During Doyo, the weather changes easily as the seasons change and there are large temperature differences, so people are prone to falling ill, and so the custom of eating nutritious foods to stay healthy was born. In the past, at the Imperial Court, there was a custom of adding mochi made from glutinous rice flour mixed with the juice of boiled astragalus leaves to miso soup on the first day of Doyo to ward off the heat.

In the Edo period, this changed to ankoromochi, mochi wrapped in azuki bean paste. Since ancient times, it has been believed that the red color of azuki beans has the power to ward off evil, and it is said that eating doyomochi during the hot summer will help you beat the heat and stay healthy.

Sentaro's Ankoro (Photograohy via Sentaro)

In Kyoto and Kanazawa especially, it is customary to eat ankoromochi on the first day of summer Doyo peropd. Ankoromochi is believed that it is originally called “Ankoromomochi” because the bean paste looked like a clothe of mochi, and that this became ankoromochi.

It is sometimes considered to be the same as ohagi and botamochi, but they are often differentiated because the filling is all mochi. During the Edo period, it is said that it was made bite-sized so that tired travelers could easily eat it. Ankoromochi is available all over Japan and is one of popular wagashi to buy as a souvenir.

Meanwhile, in the Hokuriku region, sasagemochi was originally eaten as doyomochi. Because it looks like cowpea beans have jumped on top of the mochi, it is sometimes called “Tobitsukimochi” or “Tobitsuki dango” in Fukui Prefecture, and “Sasagimochi” in Toyama Prefecture.

It has a salty taste, but in some areas of Fukui Prefecture it is eaten sprinkled with sugar. In cities such as Kanazawa, there is a custom of giving sasagemochi to the family into which a daughter has married during the summer doyo, and now it is a popular summer snack there.

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.