Japanese New Year Decorations Kagami Mochi. Traditional japanese new year decoration, kagami mochi. ‘kagami’ means ‘mirror’ in japanese, and it is often said that its shape resembles a bronze mirror which was considered a treasure by the ancient japanese.
It usually consists of two round mochi (rice cakes), the smaller placed atop the larger, and a daidai (a japanese bitter orange) with an attached leaf on top. The stacking of the pieces represents the accumulation of another year. The three new year's ornaments to attract good luck in japan.
The kagamimochi is usually eaten on january 11 or the second saturday or sunday of january in a shinto ritual called kagami.
Families sometimes add the hardened mochi to their new year's day ozoni (see below). Kagami mochi, traditional japanese new year rice cake decoration. Kagami mochi, which literally means “mirror rice cake,” is a traditional decoration placed in various locations throughout homes from around the end of the year to, usually, the. The custom of putting up kagami mochi seems to have already existed during the heian period (from approx.