Memories and Mochi: A Venice Buddhist Temple New Year Tradition

My story of Mochi's cultural background, or Venice Buddhist Temple Gets Ready for Mochitsuki.

Mochi is a traditional Japanese rice cake made from steamed glutinous rice flour. It is a delicious treat beloved by all, but do you know that there is so much more to it than its amazing texture and yummy taste? The Japanese Buddhist community at the Venice Buddhist Temple in Los Angeles has been making their own mochi once a year as part of a New Year's tradition. 

Every December, they participate in this tradition called Mochitsuki. “The whole experience is wonderful”, says Reverend Kory Kwon of the temple. Kwon added, “We have been doing Mochitsuki for 58 years.” Making traditional mochi is actually quite simple. Mochi is made with a special type of rice called glutinous rice, which is soaked and rinsed in water for three days. The rice is then steamed in special wooden boxes that are stacked upon one another and heated up to cook. This process is done outside where the steam can rise. Once the rice is fully cooked, it is transferred into a grinder to make it smooth. People use clean wooden baseball bats to push the rice into the grinder. Out comes the rice in a ooey gooey delicious form. This is the perfect opportunity to get your first taste of this yummy treat, and in my opinion is best with soy sauce and white sugar. 

The mochi that is made at the temple originated in Japan, and has been eaten as a New Year's tradition since the Heian period in the year 794. It was a sacred food for Shinto Buddhist rituals. After the mochi is made, some can be set aside for divine offerings. Today, people place two flat mochi and one round mochi on top. Sometimes paired with a tangerine. This represents a seat for the New Year deities. “Okasane explains visually that our job is to raise up the future generations,” Said Reverend Kory. “I think it's like watching fireworks or parades at Disneyland. My daughter wouldn't be able to see much unless she is on my shoulders. And someday she will have to do that for her children.”

Steaming boxes for the mochi rice at the Venice Buddhist temple mochitsuki (Photograph: Jessica Asher)

But that's not all! This warm, chewy rice is then placed into an usu, which is a large, heavy bowl made of wood or stone. From here, the rice is then pounded with a large wooden mallet. This mallet is so big I thought I was gonna tip over just holding it. The pounding of rice normally requires two or more people. As one pounds, the other continuously kneads the rice to ensure evenness. 

Granite usu bowl, used to pound the mochi. This one was donated to the temple by my great-grandfather (Photograph: Jessica Asher)

Finally, the mochi is ready to be formed and shaped into little pucks. The older ladies are the ones who are very skilled at pinching off the right amount and then shaping it into the perfect serving size. From here, the mochi is now laid out on a cornstarch-dusted table to cool indoors. It is flipped numerous times so that it can cool without cracking. Once it's fully cooled, the mochi is ready to be packaged and eaten. 

Most people know mochi as a topping at Pinkberry or an ice treat sold at Trader Joe’s. “The taste and texture are so good, especially paired with the yogurt,” says Bijou Mineo-kitchen '27. According to the Global Grub website, mochi ice cream was invented in the 1990’s, and later mochi donuts emerged in 2019! You can even find mochi cake and fried mochi, both available in various flavors, such as mango and green tea. 

The mochi that we make at the temple originated in Japan, and has been eaten as a New Year's tradition since the Heian period in the year 794. It was a sacred food for Shinto Buddhist rituals.  After the mochi is made, some can be set aside for divine offerings. Today, people place two flat mochi and one round mochi on top. Sometimes paired with a tangerine. This represents a seat for the New Year deities. “Okasane explains visually that our job is to raise up the future generations,” Said Reverend Kory. “I think it's like watching fireworks or parades at Disneyland. My daughter wouldn't be able to see much unless she is on my shoulders. And someday she will have to do that for her children.”

Kagami, or Okasane mochi offerings (Photograph: Shogatsu)

Even though I have enjoyed the tradition of making mochi all these years, and always reach for the mochi ice cream at the cold aisles of Trader Joe's, It wasn't until I really began to think about the deeper meaning and what it means to my family and me. It brings family and friends together, old and young. To bring forth the new year and celebrate our culture.