Kagami mochi

Kagami is a festive mochi variety that consists of two mochi cakes, one slightly larger than the other. A small mandarin (dai-dai) is placed on top of the cake, and the entire combination is decorated with colorful papers, dried kelp, and ferns.

This mochi variety is mostly kept in Japanese households until kagami biraki, a festivity often translated as opening the mirror, which is usually celebrated on January 11. Japanese believe that a ghost bringing good luck for the following year is hidden in kagami, while the stacking the mochi is believed to double one’s fortune.

This is the reason why it is usually enjoyed on New Year’s Day. Tradition suggests that the cakes need to broken, usually by hand or with wooden hammers, and never cut. The pieces are then traditionally used in Japanese dishes such as zenzai or zōni.