Classic and standard Japanese songs celebrating mochi pounding
When you think of New Year’s or the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival, some people might picture mochi.
During the New Year, many households display kagami-mochi and have plenty of chances to eat mochi, and around moon-viewing season, there’s even the saying that rabbits are pounding mochi on the moon.
In this article, we’ll introduce a wide selection of songs related to mochi! From songs that sing about mochi, to hand-play songs themed around mochi pounding, and even folk songs about mochi that have long been rooted in local regions—we’ll cover it all.
Take this opportunity to give them a listen.
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Classic and standard Japanese songs about rice-cake pounding (21–30)
Mochi-Mochi OndoBōya Saburō
A unique song that plays on the phrase “mochitsumotaretsu” (mutual give-and-take) and how it connects with mochi and human relationships.
It’s sung by Saburō Bōya, who was active as an actor and comedian, and was released as a single in 1976.
The snappy lyrics featuring onomatopoeia are delightful.
As you listen, your body starts swaying on its own.
Mochitsuki (rice-cake pounding) strongly evokes New Year’s, but since, as the title suggests, it has an ondō (festival chant) style, this particular song might actually fit better as background music for a summer festival.
Mochitaro the Rice Cake
Let’s move our bodies energetically with a rice cake–themed exercise! Featured and released on the monthly CD “CommuniKids★,” this track is called “Omochi no Mochitaro.” With its bright, poppy sound, even very young children who don’t yet understand words might enjoy it.
The jumping moves help build stamina, too! It could be a pretty good workout for adults as well.
If you’re looking for a fun performance song or a mochi-pounding tune to play at kindergartens or nursery schools, definitely give this song a try.
Miyagi Mochitsuki Song
This is a video of a mochi-pounding song from Miyagi.
It’s often sung during the New Year.
In addition to this, mochi-pounding folk songs exist all over Japan, each reflecting the unique characteristics of its region.
It might be fun to explore the differences in lyrics and musical styles.
New Year’s mochi poundingwarabeuta
Recreate mochi pounding with a hand game! Let’s sing the children’s song “New Year’s Mochi Pounding” while doing the hand motions.
One person claps their hands vertically at a steady rhythm.
The other person plays by moving their hands in and out so they don’t get caught between the claps, or by moving as if kneading the mochi.
Words that aren’t often heard in everyday life, like “hikkoneru” (to pull or knead) and “tottsuku” (to stick or grab), become easier to imagine through the hand movements, so even small children can more easily picture how mochi pounding works.
The Mochi-Pounding SongDan Ikuma
How about a children’s song that makes you hungry just by listening? It’s a piece by Ikuma Dan, who was active as a composer, conductor, and essayist.
The bright tone is striking, and it vividly brings to mind the scene of pounding mochi.
The idea of pounding as many mochi as your age is amusing, isn’t it? Depending on the region, you might hear things like, “That’s how we used to do it,” or “I’ve never heard of that method.” In the end, everyone enjoys the mochi together, each in their favorite way.
Be sure to play this song for New Year’s!
mochi poundingTeraoka Daigo
This is a mochi-pounding song born from the Nursery Rhymes and Folktales Hometown Project, which conducts community revitalization activities in Hachioji, Tokyo.
It was created by Daigo Teraoka, a composer and voice trainer.
The piece sets music to a poem by Uko Nakamura, who wrote the lyrics to “Yuyake Koyake.” The story describes mochi being pounded from the early morning hours, and the protagonist waking up to the sound.
It evokes images of traditional life and, as you listen, brings on a strangely nostalgic feeling.
rice cake poundingIsobe Shū
The children’s song “Omochitsuki” evokes the scene of family and relatives gathering at the end of the year to prepare New Year’s mochi by pounding rice together.
There are other mochi-pounding songs, like ones for the moon-viewing season, but they still strongly conjure the New Year.
This song, too, conveys the cheerful atmosphere of everyone pounding mochi together in the chilly year-end weather.
The onomatopoeia of the mochi pounding is especially fun, and once you sing it, it really sticks in your head—you can’t help but hum along.
Adding gestures and turning it into a hand-play song would surely make it even more enjoyable.
