Mochi production at temples around Hawaii are usually a cooperative event with members before New Years, however with cases of COVID rising, missions have scaled back the annual event to a handful of individuals.
While mochi are a favorite treat throughout the year, they are most iconic and symbolic of New Year celebrations in Japan, both as a household decoration — kagami — and as a part of the traditional set of dishes served on New Year’s Day — osechi ryori according to mochidoki.com.
Typically set in the center of a kamidana, (a household altar in Japanese homes), kagami mochi is an offering for Toshigami, a Shinto deity who blesses each family with longevity and overall wellness for the New Year.
As families celebrate with the traditional New Year meal, mochi also appears in ozoni — a miso-based soup with mochi and vegetables.
Gathered together, these variations of mochi symbolize health and longevity in the New Year.
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