Celebrate Children’s Day with this Kashiwa Mochi recipe: a traditional Japanese sweet rice cake with red bean filling and wrapped in an oak leaf.
Making mochi may seem like a difficult task but with the right ingredients and modern techniques, it’s actually quite easy!
What is Kashiwa Mochi?
Kashiwa Mochi is a type of mochi, a traditional Japanese confection that is a chewy, sweet rice cake. Typically, it’s filled with koshi-an or anko, a smooth, sweet red bean paste. Sometimes, you can find Kashiwa Mochi with a shiro-an (white bean paste) & miso filling. The mochi is then wrapped in an oak leaf.
The oak leaf is not edible or meant to be eaten but gives the mochi a wonderful fragrance. It is mostly meant for symbolism as Kashiwa Mochi is typically eaten for Kodomo-no-Hi, or Children’s Day.
The oak leaf symbolizes prosperity for children and families as oak trees don’t shed their leaves until new ones grow in.
Children’s Day in Japan
Children’s day in Japan, called Kodomo-no-Hi (こどもの日), was traditionally celebrated on the 5th day of the 5th moon in the lunar calendar. Now, it’s celebrated on May 5th annually. Originally, the holiday was Tango-no-Sekku, which was Boys’ Day, but now Children’s Day celebrates both boys and girls (although many people still lean towards celebrating their sons on Children’s Day since Hinamatsuri, or Girls’ Day, is celebrated on March 3rd).
Around Children’s Day, you’ll find many families, businesses, and neighborhoods flying Koinobori, or carp-shaped streamers/wind socks. The Koi (carp) symbolize strength and success. Many households with sons display traditional warrior armor or helmets called kabuto, which symbolize strong, healthy boys.
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Kashiwa Mochi / 柏餅
Ingredients
- 3.5 oz joshinko rice flour
- 1 tbsp corn starch or potato starch
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 c water
- 4 tbsp koshi-an sweet red bean paste
- 4 pickled oak leaves
Instructions
- Rinse pickled oak leaves and dry with a paper towel or towel. Set aside.
- In a bowl, add joshinko, corn starch, and sugar. Mix to combine.
- Add water and mix until combined fully.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Microwave on high for 30 seconds. Mix the mochi mixture. Microwave again on high for 30 seconds. Then mix the mixture again. Repeat once again (for a total of 3 times, or 1 min 30 seconds).
- *You can skip this step if you don't have anything to pound the mochi* Using a pestle, dip in water and pound the mochi so it becomes glossy.
- Once the mochi has cooled slightly, transfer to a surface that is dusted with corn starch. Knead the mochi with wet hands until the surface is glossy and smooth.
- Roll the mochi into an even log and cut into 4 even pieces. Roll each piece into a round ball and set aside. Cover the mochi balls with a damp towel so they don't dry out.
- With a small rolling pin, roll one mochi out into an oblong/oval shape.
- Take one tbsp of red bean paste and roll it into a ball. Place it in the center of the rolled out mochi. Fold the mochi over to close and pinch around the edges to seal and mold into a nice shape.
- Wrap the mochi in an oak leaf (vein-side facing out).
- Repeat for the rest of the mochi and enjoy!
Notes
Shop this post:
Pickled Oak Leaves
Joshinko (non-glutinous rice flour) / 上新粉
Sweetened Red Bean Paste / こしあん
More items can be shopped in my Pantry, my Tools, or my Amazon shop.
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Thanks for this recipe! I made it for my kids for children’s day. Don’t quite know where to get the pickled leaf, but we just get that part it’s okay I suppose. Turned out great!
So glad you enjoyed it! The pickled leaf is shoppable online and is linked in the “Shop this Post” section of this blog post (if you want to get it in the future!).