Issho Mochi ceremony is one of the Japanese baby’s traditions, which is to have large round rice cake for the baby’s first birthday!
Meaning of Issho Mochi
Issho is a unit of old Japanese liquid measurement, and it is 1.8 kilograms.
Mochi means rice cake in Japanese, so Issho Mochi literary means “1.8 kg rice cake” even though one year old babies can not eat up that amount of rice cake…
Issho also means one’s entire life, so the ceremony is held to wish the baby longevity and a life without hunger.
Also the shape of Issho mochi is round, and it is said that the round shape represents peace as it does not have sharp corners so that the baby will have a peaceful life with Issho mochi!
Issho Mochi ceremony
During Issho Mochi ceremony, there is an activity for the baby. The activity varies depending on a local area.
The most famous activity is Seoi Mochi, which is to have the baby carry Issho Mochi on the baby’s back. As you could imagine some of the babies can not carry it or even can not stand since Issho Mochi is heavy for 1 year old babies. But it is OK not to carry because the main purpose of the activity is to celebrate the baby’s growth.
Some of local areas have an activity of Mochi Fumi which is to step on the rice cake to wish that the baby will have strong legs!
Where to buy Issho Mochi
Most of Issho Mochi shops offer home delivery, so usually Issho Mochi is bought online and delivered to the house.
Issho Bread
There is an Issho Bread instead of Issho Mochi because Issho Bread is easy to share for the family. Indeed, we had Issho bread for our child’s first birthday!
Isshou mochi is a large 2 kg mochi rice cake carried by babies on their first birthday. This tradition can occur one week prior to one week after the child's actual birthday. The weight of the isshou mochi is specific to this tradition. A shou, a Japanese unit of measurement for rice or sake, equals 1.8 kg.
Rather than birthday cake, the child receives issho mochi, a large rice cake which they carry around on their back or even stand on, depending on the region. Additionally, a fortune-telling ritual called erabitori is held to predict the future and strengths of the baby.
Mochi means rice cake in Japanese, so Issho Mochi literary means “1.8 kg rice cake” even though one year old babies can not eat up that amount of rice cake… Issho also means one's entire life, so the ceremony is held to wish the baby longevity and a life without hunger.
Doljabi is a tradition where the baby is placed in front of various items or objects. Then, the baby is encouraged to grab one or two items from the set of objects where each choice symbolizes a certain future of the baby with respect to his or her career or a lifestyle.
The sticky, chewy texture of mochi is a choking hazard and should never be served to babies and young children. Most parents wait until at least three years old when the child has grown all her/his baby teeth and can properly chew and swallow food.
As a key decoration for Japanese New Year, the two rice cakes stacked up can symbolize the past year meeting with the upcoming year. It's said that kagami mochi signifies the overlap between happiness and fortune and therefore brings luck and positive resolutions in the New Year.
A first birthday celebrates how far you and your baby have come, and it also celebrates all your hopes and excitement for the future. This is the first of many birthdays to come. After a child's first year, there are many exciting things to look forward to in their life.
When a baby is born its first birthday is celebrated as one year of being born so one birthday has occurred. In effect the birthday is considered an anniversary of an event and anniversaries are celebrated in terms of years. First birthday is an anniversary of being born.
The first birthday reflects their journey of sleepless nights, matchless joys, challenging adjustments, and rewarding moments. Moreover, in many cultures, the first birthday is steeped in tradition and symbolism, marking the transition from infancy to toddlerhood.
Mochi is a male cat, but has a calico fur pattern, which is found almost exclusively in female cats due to the calico gene being found on the X chromosome.
Given that, it makes sense to call the day one year after a person was born his "first birthday", a year later is his "second birthday", etc. Just like we say that one year after you are married is your "first anniversary", etc.
The first birthday grab is supposed to tell the babies' future, if you like. A tray of specially selected items is put in front of the baby and everyone waits in anticipation until the baby chooses an item. The item grabbed symbolizes the baby's future career or future life circ*mstances.
South Korea's traditional age-counting custom considers every person 1 year old at birth and adds another year when the calendar hits Jan. 1, meaning a child born on Dec. 31 turns 2 the next day.
Mochi came to Hawaii with the many thousands of Japanese sugar plantations workers, according to “The Making of Asian America” by Erika Lee. In January of 1885, 941 of the first Japanese Immigrants came to Hawaii. By 1924, there were 200,000 who would make their way to the islands, Lee's book states.
Brought to Hawaii by Japanese plantation workers in the 1800's, mochi has a long history dating back to the late 700's. Ancient samurai's would take mochi with them when they journeyed for battle as it was easy to prepare and traveled well.
Erabitori is another commonly held birthday tradition for a one-year-old. During the birthday party, several items are placed around the baby, such as a calculator, abacus, pen, chopsticks, wallet, or ball. Whichever object the baby chooses first is thought to foretell their future endeavor or talent.
History. It is said that sakuramochi's popularity across Japan started when a gatekeeper at Chomyoji Temple in Tokyo during the middle Edo period (1716-1745) took fallen leaves from the cherry tree at the temple's garden and used them to sell mochi.
Introduction: My name is Jonah Leffler, I am a determined, faithful, outstanding, inexpensive, cheerful, determined, smiling person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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