Dig Japan vol.45 “Tsubaki-mochi (椿餅)”
Dig Japan is a series in which I research and introduce in English topics related to traditional Japanese culture that interest me. In this article, I will introduce tsubaki-mochi.
Tsubaki-mochi is a type of mochi made with Domyojiko (dried and granulated glutinous rice flour), stuffed with azuki bean paste and wrapped in camellia leaves. It is often served at tea ceremonies during the camellia season from winter to early spring. The most likely theory is that it originated from a sweet that was introduced from China during the Nara and Heian periods, and the style of wrapping mochi in camellia leaves continues to this day.
Tsubaki-mochi is made by steaming glutinous rice flour such as Domyojiko, mixing it with sugar and salt, and pounding it. The bean paste is usually koshian, but tsubuan and shiroan (white bean paste) are also available. The camellia leaves that wrap the mochi are characterized by their thickness and luster, and tsubaki-mochi is often served at tea ceremonies during the camellia season from winter to early spring.
Known as Japan's oldest mochi confectionery, tsubaki-mochi is believed to have originated from togashi, a traditional Chinese confectionery. From the Nara to Heian periods, various confectioneries were brought to Japan from China, and it is thought that the prototype of modern tsubaki-mochi was created under their influence.
However, the tsubaki-mochi of those days did not contain bean paste and seemed not as sweet as it is today. At that time, it was a kind of dango made by kneading amazura (traditional sweetener commonly used in the past) into glutinous rice flour made from dried glutinous rice and ground in a stone mill, and then wrapping it in camellia leaves.
Tsubaki-mochi is said to have been popular among the nobility of the time as a snack to enjoy during kemari games. It is mentioned in the dictionary Wamyo Ruijusho, which was compiled in the mid-Heian period, and the name can be found in other ancient documents. It also appears under the name “tsubaimochihi” in The Tale of Genji, which was written in the mid-Heian period.
Later, the sweetener used in tsubaki-mochi changed from amazura to sugar, and the mochi began to be stuffed with azuki bean paste. On the other hand, the style of wrapping the mochi in camellia leaves has remained unchanged since the beginning.
This article was written by 𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐨, working as a freelance translator and PR for overseas apparel brands in Japan, with the aim of broadening her own knowledge of traditional Japanese culture and spreading it to the world.
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