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00:07 Mochi are a traditional type of rice cake.
00:14 They're made from a special kind of glutinous rice.
00:19 Every December in Japan, people follow the old custom of making mochi by hand.
00:30 Freshly steamed glutinous rice is put in the wooden mortar.
00:34 This is the traditional method, pounding the rice with a pestle.
00:40 For a smooth, uniform result, they must work in harmony, synchronizing each move.
00:48 Mochi is really delicious when freshly made and still soft.
00:58 [Music]
01:01 Tasty! Yummy!
01:03 Mochi is cut into conveniently sized pieces and dried for storing.
01:10 Grilled or simmered, dried mochi quickly softens and is easy to eat.
01:22 Popular ways to eat it include grilled, seasoned with soy sauce, and wrapped in seaweed.
01:28 Or you could top it with spicy grated daikon radish and dashi stock.
01:34 Those with a sweet tooth might like it simmered with sugar and azuki beans.
01:41 There are dozens of ways to eat mochi.
01:44 New Year is a very special time in Japan.
01:51 Among the many traditional New Year's decorations, one is made from round mochi.
01:56 Rice is the staple food of the Japanese, and the mochi represents this important crop.
02:04 It originated as a prayer for good harvests.
02:07 The mikan orange on top represents the sun, vital for rice cultivation.
02:16 It's customary to eat a dish called zoni on New Year's Day.
02:20 Zoni is a kind of stew where the key ingredient is mochi.
02:25 The custom is thought to have begun around the 8th century,
02:32 when people began eating zoni at weddings to wish happiness for the newlyweds.
02:37 There are many ways to make zoni. Ingredients and seasonings vary from region to region.
02:46 Takayama City, Gifu
02:49 Takayama City in Gifu has a unique custom using mochi for New Year decorations.
02:55 The tradition called Hanamochi goes back over 450 years.
03:11 Higuchi Chizuko is making it by hand, the way her mother taught her.
03:15 Strips of mochi wrapped around the branches represent flower petals.
03:23 The whole family helps. Higuchi's daughter and granddaughter lend a hand.
03:38 Mochi was the treat we enjoyed most. In winter there are no flowers to brighten up the table,
03:43 so our custom in Takayama is to imitate flowers with pieces of mochi.
03:47 The farmers of this region originally made Hanamochi to express their hopes for a good harvest
03:54 and a safe year for their families.
03:56 They're so soothing. Just looking at Hanamochi calms me down.
04:02 I wouldn't get bored, even if we displayed them all year round.
04:08 When their role as decorations is over, Hanamochi are fried as snacks for the family to enjoy.
04:14 Mochi, born from a culture centred on rice.
04:21 Symbol of hope for good harvests and a happy future.
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