Food · Fermented foods

Mochi (Glutinous Rice Cake)

(Mochi)

Also known as: Mochi, Glutinous rice cake, 餅, Kiri-mochi, Maru-mochi, Sangetsu mochi

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At a glance

CategoryFood
Japanese labeling name
Common Japanese notations餅, もち, 切り餅, 丸餅
OriginGlutinous rice (mochi-gome) cake; principal modern volume producers Sato Foods (Sato Kiri-mochi — the volume retail leader), Tablemark, Echigo Seika; major retail formats include kiri-mochi (rectangular cut, Kanto/Tohoku) and maru-mochi (round, Kansai/Kyushu)
Typical functionsNew Year cuisine (zoni soup, kagami-mochi ceremonial), Daily food — yaki-mochi grilled, isobe-yaki nori-wrapped, butter-shoyu mochi, Wagashi confectionery foundation (daifuku, sakura-mochi, kashiwa-mochi), Ozone (zōni) regional variety central element
Regulatory status in JapanStandard food labeling. Glutinous rice (mochi-gome) origin disclosure increasingly important for premium positioning. Not a designated allergen but glutinous-rice and choking-hazard awareness for elderly consumers.

Mochi (餅) is glutinous rice cake — fundamental Japanese traditional food. Sato Foods is the volume retail leader. Major formats: kiri-mochi (Kanto rectangular) and maru-mochi (Kansai/Kyushu round). Defining role in New Year cuisine (zoni) and wagashi confectionery foundation.

Classification

Tags below link to other ingredients sharing the same attribute, so you can pivot from one ingredient to its peers.

Functions

Regulatory tags

Used in (typical product categories)

Finished-product categories that commonly include this ingredient in Japanese-market formulations.

  • Kiri-mochi retail (Sato Kiri-mochi major brand)
  • Maru-mochi retail (Kansai/Kyushu)
  • Premium regional mochi (Sangetsu Tono Iwate, etc.)
  • Frozen pre-cooked mochi for foodservice

What it is

Glutinous rice (mochi-gome) cake produced by steaming and pounding.

Typical uses in Japanese products

New Year zoni soup, kagami-mochi.

Daily yaki-mochi, isobe-yaki, butter-shoyu.

Wagashi confectionery foundation.

Regional zōni varieties.

For OEM: kiri-mochi production OEM, premium regional gift retail.

Regulatory classification in Japan

Standard food labeling. Mochi-gome origin disclosure for premium. Not a designated allergen.

Regulatory classification in other markets

EUEstablished global mochi specialty market.
USAMajor US mochi retail (Trader Joe's, etc.) and mochi ice cream.
ChinaEstablished trade.
KoreaKorea has tteok tradition.

Example products

Example finished products will be added after verification of producer and origin.

All brand names and product names referenced anywhere on this site are the property of their respective owners. Example entries are provided for informational purposes only and do not imply endorsement.

Related ingredients

References

  1. Sato Foods Kiri-mochi product specifications
  2. Editorial — Japan mochi production reference

Last updated: 2026-04-28. Ingredient entries are reviewed at least annually against current regulatory listings.

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