Today’s Japan Photo: Mochi Ice-Cream

For Today’s Japan Photo, we will be taking a look at another one of my favorite Japanese dessert – Mochi Ice-cream. I just happened to picked some of them up from Beard Papa (麦の穂) and they roughly look similar to the ones in this photo.

This lovely photo was taken by Archangeli. Don’t you feel hungry just looking at all of the different colored mochi?

Here’s a little description on what is mochi ice-cream for those who had never tasted them before:

Mochi ice cream is a Japanese confection made from mochi (decimated sticky rice) with an ice cream filling.

Originally created by Lotte, as Yukimi Daifuku in 1981. Lotte first made the product by using a rice starch instead of sticky rice and a type of ice milk instead of real ice cream.

Mochi ice cream can be considered finger food, or is eaten while on a toothpick. Mochi ice cream can vary in diameter, but is comparable to a golf ball in size, shape and weight: 45 g mass and 45 mm diameter.

There are two layers: a soft, dough-like outer mochi shell, and inner ice cream core.

Flavors are dependent on brand, however, matcha (ground green tea), chocolate, and vanilla are likely to be represented (flavors of both Mikawaya and Lotte brand mochi ice creams). Strawberry, mango, and red bean paste (azuki) are also common flavors.