🍱 Zoni

Mochi is an essential and auspicious food for celebrations among the Japanese. Upon welcoming the new year, Mochitsuki, the pounding of rice to make Mochi(=rice cake), is performed as an offering to the Toshigami (deity of the year). Leftover Mochi is then used to prepare "Zoni," a traditional soup. During this time, gratitude is expressed for the previous year's harvest and the safe passage into the new year. It is a custom to pray for a bountiful harvest and household safety. Zoni, enjoyed nationwide during the first three days of the new year, varies in its ingredients, including the shape of mochi, additional components, and the type of Dashi(=Japanese soup stock), depending on the region and household. In Fukui Prefecture, the preparation of Zoni is simple. A pot placed Kombu (=kelp) is filled with water, and round rice cake is simmered. It is seasoned with Miso, and finally, bonito flakes are added. While some versions include turnips, Daikon radishes, napa cabbage, and Satoimo(=Japanese taro), others are made without additional ingredients. There's an omen that adding turnips (in Japanese, "Kabu") brings good luck because stocks (also "Kabu" in Japanese) can rise. Notably, Zoni is served in everyday soup bowls without using bowls for Zoni. In Reinan region, some variations include Mochi in a miso-based soup, topped with black sugar. This practice is attributed to the Kitamaebune, a northern sea route connecting Hokkaido and Osaka, where high-quality black sugar was considered a valuable commodity during trade stopovers in Wakasa Bay.