Today’s “Wagashi” is “Kashiwa mochi”.
“Kashiwa mochi” is a Japanese confectionery made by doubling a flatly rounded rice cake, including bean jam, and wrapping it in an oak leaf.
But oak tree doesn’t grow wild in the west district from Kansai area. We don’t use oak leaf but use the leaf of smilax.
As for the varieties of bean jams, “tsubuan” (sweet bean jam), “koshian” (strained sweet bean jam), and “misoan” (sweet bean jam with miso) are popular.
A type of the miso bean jam doesn’t exist depending on the area.
“Kashiwa mochi” is used as a votive offering of the Boys’ festival of May 5.
Since oak leaves don’t fall until the shoots grow, it is said as a sign of “fertility and family prosperity (continuation of the family line)”.
Also, there is an accompanying prayer said by people, “a child is born consistently” and “a parent lives until a child is born”.
The oak tree has been popular among a samurai as “the lucky tree that a family doesn’t die out” in Edo era.
“Kashiwa mochi” is a cake loved from the Edo era by a samurai family and the common people.
Please SHARE if it looked delicious!
Recent Comments