Hanabiramochi

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Hanabiramochi is a Japanese sweetmeat (wagashi), usually eaten at the beginning of the year. Hanabiramochi are also served at the first tea ceremony of the new year.

The name "hanabiramochi" literally means "flower petal mochi".

It is made by placing a flat red mochi (rice cake) on top of a white one, then folding into a semicircular shape and filling with sweetly flavoured burdock and soybean jam. The red colour showing through the white mochi is not only appropriate to the celebration of the new year but also reminds us of the charms of the Japanese apricot (ume) blossom. The original form of Hanabiramochi is Hishihanabira, a dessert that was eaten by the Imperial family at special events coinciding with the beginning of the year. The burdock represents pressed ayu, a fish exclusive to the Asian area, and a prayer for a long life. Hanabiramochi was first made in the Meiji Era (8 September 1868 - 30 July 1912), but it is now a familiar New Year wagashi.

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