Historical Background

Characteristics

Matsukawa-mochi is a traditional sweet found in the Chokai and Yashima areas. It is famous for its beautiful reddish-purple color, which comes from kneading the inner bark of red pine (akamatsu) into the mochi. Although it was originally an emergency food, it is often eaten at celebratory events today. This is because the pine tree represents a long life, and its green color symbolizes good fortune.

Making this mochi requires a lot of time and effort. From June to August, locals harvest the inner bark of red pine trees and sun-dry it for about a week. To remove the bitterness, the bark is carefully boiled with baking soda for eight hours until the water turns purple. After that, it is beaten with a hatchet until soft and then pounded together with freshly steamed glutinous rice. 

Inside the mochi is handmade, smooth red bean paste (koshian). It actually has no pine odor and offers a gentle, faint sweetness. Because of the complex making process, it is a precious item. Today, it is sold for about 100 yen at local farmers' markets (Michi-no-Eki), but it is so popular that it often sells out by the morning.

To Know More

Direct Voice from Jin

I am from the Honjo area of Yurihonjo City. I often saw Matsukawa-mochi sold in three-piece packs at my local supermarket. It is especially popular among the elderly and often sells out by morning.

My grandfather loved eating it, and he shared some with me several times. At first, I was worried about the pine resin flavor, but it has no strange taste or smell. The moist, chewy texture of the dough, combined with the gentle sweetness of the smooth red bean paste, is absolutely delicious. It is a very special flavor that connects me to my hometown.