Kagami Mochi and Toshikoshi Soba: New Year Traditions

Stacked mirror rice cakes welcome the new year while a bowl of toshikoshi soba sends the old one off, two small traditions rich in lucky meaning.

Published October 15, 2026 at 10:16 PM JST | By Tokyo Paul

Quick answer: Toshikoshi soba and kagami mochi are two simple Japanese New Year customs. Year-crossing soba is eaten on December 31 for a long life and the strength to leave hardship behind, while stacked mirror rice cakes topped with a bitter orange welcome the new year and are broken and eaten in January.

Two Small Customs That Frame the New Year

Japan's New Year season is full of traditions, from temple bells and shrine visits to special foods and decorations. Two of the simplest, and most charming, bookend the holiday: toshikoshi soba, the bowl of buckwheat noodles eaten on New Year's Eve, and kagami mochi, the stacked rice-cake decoration that sits in homes through the first days of January. One helps people say goodbye to the old year and the other welcomes the new, and both are built on gentle wordplay and symbolism.

This guide explains what each custom is, where it comes from, what it means, and how visitors can encounter or even join in. You will pick up a few Japanese terms along the way, and a handful of practical tips for enjoying these traditions in Japan or at home. They are easy to appreciate, even if you are experiencing them for the first time.

The New Year in Context

To see where these two customs fit, it helps to know the rhythm of the holiday. The Japanese New Year, called shogatsu, has been celebrated on January 1 under the Gregorian calendar since 1873, and before that it followed lunisolar calendars. The last day of the year is called omisoka. On that night, many temples ring bells 108 times around midnight in a ceremony called joya no kane, which is traditionally associated with leaving behind worldly worries.

The days that follow bring other customs: osechi, the festive food packed in tiered boxes, ozoni, a soup with mochi rice cake, nengajo greeting postcards timed to arrive on January 1, and otoshidama, money gifts given to children in small decorated envelopes. Within that wider celebration, toshikoshi soba and kagami mochi have their own special place. You can read more about the whole season in the Japanese New Year article on Wikipedia.

Toshikoshi Soba: Noodles for the Year's End

Toshikoshi soba means year-crossing soba, and it is a hot noodle soup eaten on omisoka, December 31. The custom is generally traced to around the Edo period, which ran from 1603 to 1867. Several explanations are given for why soba is the dish of the night. Soba noodles are easy to bite or cut, so eating them is said to help a household leave the year's hardships behind. The long strands are also linked to a long life, and buckwheat, which survives harsh weather, is seen as a symbol of strength and resilience.

The custom goes by several names around the country, including misoka soba, tsugomori soba, kure soba, jumyo soba, fuku soba and unki soba. The first three refer to New Year's Eve, jumyo means lifespan, and fuku and unki mean happiness, which gives a sense of the lucky meanings people attach to the noodles.

The dish itself is usually simple: soba in a warm broth, perhaps with spring onions or tempura on top, although toppings vary by household and region. Many soba restaurants and noodle shops are busy on December 31, and supermarkets and convenience stores sell packs of noodles for people who like to cook at home. If you are in Japan at the end of the year, joining in is as easy as sitting down for a bowl and wishing the old year well.

Kagami Mochi: The Mirror Rice Cakes

Kagami mochi, which means mirror rice cake, is a traditional New Year decoration made of two round mochi, the smaller placed on top of the larger, and topped with a daidai, a Japanese bitter orange, with a leaf attached. It may also include konbu (kelp) and a skewer of dried persimmons. The stack sits on a stand called a sanpo, over a decorative paper sheet, with folded paper strips called gohei shaped like lightning.

The name comes from the resemblance to old round bronze mirrors, although the exact reason for the name is not entirely clear. The two discs are said to represent different pairs of ideas, such as the outgoing and incoming years, the human heart, yin and yang, or the moon and sun. The daidai on top carries a clever pun, because its name sounds like the word for generations, so it stands for a family continuing across generations. Today, a regular mikan or even a plastic imitation often takes its place.

Kagami mochi is usually displayed in a household altar called a kamidana or in the tokonoma, the decorated alcove found in many traditional rooms. Three-layer versions may go on a family altar or kamidana, or in the kitchen as a small decoration. Ready-made versions are widely sold in the weeks before the new year, which keeps things tidy and easy.

Kagami Biraki and Tips for Joining In

The kagami mochi does not stay on display forever. In a ritual called kagami biraki, which means opening the mirror, the mochi is broken apart and eaten, typically in the second week or so of January, though the exact timing depends on region and household.

The ritual also spread into martial arts. Kano Jigoro, the founder of judo, adopted it into judo in 1884, and it later spread to aikido, karate and jujutsu schools, where the ritual is part of the start of the new training year. The mochi can then be eaten in a variety of comforting ways, and families often share it together.

If you are in Japan at the end of the year, look for kagami mochi in supermarkets and shops from late December, and notice how homes, shops and temples display them. Visiting a local soba restaurant on the evening of December 31 is a fine way to join the custom, and many travelers also enjoy attending a temple bell ceremony or a first shrine visit, called hatsumode, in the first days of January. Because so many businesses close for several days around the holiday, it is smart to plan meals, travel and shopping in advance.

At home, you can bring the spirit of the season into your own kitchen. Cook a simple bowl of soba on the last night of the year, and if you can find kagami mochi, set it somewhere you will see it. If not, a small stack of two round rice cakes topped with a mandarin makes a lovely homemade version. Treat it as a friendly decoration and a conversation starter.

Quick Takeaways

In short, toshikoshi soba and kagami mochi are two of the simplest ways to feel the Japanese New Year. One sends off the old year with a warm bowl of noodles and a wish for long life and strength, and the other welcomes the new year with a stack of rice cakes and a pun about generations.

You do not need a perfect setup to take part. A bowl of noodles, a small decoration and a good wish are enough. Here is to a bright and healthy new year, and to enjoying every small tradition along the way.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is toshikoshi soba?

Toshikoshi soba means year-crossing soba, a hot noodle soup eaten on omisoka, December 31, a custom traced to around the Edo period. Easily cut noodles are said to help leave the year's hardships behind, long strands suggest a long life, and buckwheat symbolizes strength and resilience. Toppings vary by household and region.

What is kagami mochi made of?

Kagami mochi means mirror rice cake. It is two round mochi, the smaller on top of the larger, topped with a daidai bitter orange and a leaf. The daidai carries a pun on generations. It may also include konbu and dried persimmons, and today a mikan or plastic imitation often replaces the orange.

What is kagami biraki?

Kagami biraki means opening the mirror. It is the ritual in which the kagami mochi is broken apart and eaten, typically in the second week or so of January, depending on region and household. Kano Jigoro adopted the ritual into judo in 1884, and it later spread to aikido, karate and jujutsu schools.

Keep Exploring

More guides from Tokyo Paul: Osechi: Japan's New Year Feast, Hatsuhinode: First Sunrise of the Year, Hojicha and Genmaicha: Roasted and Toasty Teas.