[Visiting the Branch Flower Production Area] The wisdom to beautifully adorn the New Year in a snowy region. A visit to Hida Takayama, where hanamochi are made.

Hanamochi Namida sells out every year.
We visited Hida Takayama in December, right in the middle of production.

Among hanamochi, Hanamochi Namida is an adorable New Year's decoration that we at SiKiTO fall in love with at first sight and sell every year.

We visited Hida Takayama, the production area of Namida, as they worked towards the end of the year.

Hanamochi is said to have originated around the Edo period as a New Year's decoration in areas with severe winters where flowers do not bloom. The auspicious red and white mochi are as vibrant as plum blossoms.

While it is often called "mochibana" nationwide, in the Hida region, it is called "hanamochi."

Hanamochi culture is not limited to the Hida Takayama region but can also be seen in Kyoto, Kagawa, Akita, and other places. We were told that commonalities include deep snow and the presence of important shrines.

The main agricultural products of the Hida Takayama region are tomatoes and spinach. After the vegetable harvest ends in late autumn, hanamochi production begins.

Even today, hanamochi made by farmers in their homes are displayed at public markets and morning markets, and locals purchasing them has become a traditional scene of the year-end.

This time, we visited the Hida Hanamochi Association for our interview.

As an association, they focus on sales to urban areas and offer a wide range of sizes to meet various needs, from those around several tens of centimeters for home use to 3-meter-long ones displayed at hotel entrances and flower parks.

Namida's workshop is a large, old folk house over 200 years old!

Upon entering the wide entrance, many branches that would serve as the base were ready. These branches are made from pruned maple trees from local gardens and mountains.

The mochi attached is made in the workshop. In the past, they used a mortar and pestle, but now they use a mochi-pounding machine.

The mochi is kept warm in a rice cooker, then torn into pieces the size of a fingertip and kneaded onto the branches one by one. Depending on the size, it takes about 30 to 45 minutes to finish one branch.

Since they cannot be stored, any leftover mochi from the day's work is grilled and eaten by everyone in the workshop.

The finished products are thoroughly dried for several days before shipping.

Next, we were guided to a workshop located in a corner of the tomato sorting facility, which had finished its operations for the year.

Here, hanamochi is made using willows, creating a beautiful weeping form. This is the main product of the Hanamochi Association.

Since Hida willows become hard at the joints due to the cold, soft ones are brought in from Ibaraki. The freshly arrived willows were a beautiful green.

During the production period of less than a month, several thousand hanamochi made from willow alone are produced here. At the beginning of December, when we visited, approximately 500 hanamochi were completed and awaiting shipment. About 20 days later, the entire sheet would be covered with hanamochi.

First, the received willows are trimmed to the specified length, and excess branches are cut. Once prepared, they are moved to the large break room within the sorting facility.

On this day, about 15 grandmothers were attaching mochi. Some were veterans with over 30 years of hanamochi-making experience. They worked cheerfully while chatting. The sight of 2-meter standard hanamochi lined up was impressive.

The mochi attached to the willows, unlike Namida, are rod-shaped and slightly larger.

The spacing of the mochi is determined to achieve a consistent finish as a product, and experienced workers measure it by hand and wrap it around the branches.

The ingenious use of ladders set up for efficient work is truly admirable!

Hanamochi is displayed not only during the New Year but also for the Peach Festival. In the past, after the Hina Matsuri, the removed mochi were made into red and white arare (rice crackers) and eaten.

The association also conducts activities to connect this important regional culture to the future, such as holding hanamochi-making classes at local elementary schools.

Left: Mr. Kinoshita from JA Hida, Right: Mr. Nakano from Hida Hanamochi Association

We hope that these charming hanamochi will spark your interest in the history and culture of the Hida region behind them.

 

《Behind the Scenes of the Interview》
Near Takayama Station, often called "Little Kyoto," old townscapes remain.
Although we couldn't visit Shirakawa-go, a World Heritage site, we explored "Hida no Sato," which recreates the former life of Hida. Old farmhouses where wealthy farming families lived are lined up, showcasing wedding ceremonies and sericulture of the time.