Mochi dishes

In the Ichinoseki region, which is a rich rice-growing region, rice cakes have traditionally been used not only for ceremonial occasions, but also to mark off farm work, to entertain guests, or even just because it's cold. It's like eating mochi all year round, starting from New Year's Day, to New Year's Eve in February, to Peach Festival, to New Year's Eve.Mochi was so essential to life that there was even a ``Mochi Calendar'' in which people ate mochi. It is said that there are about 300 types of mochi dishes that have been handed down in this region, and they are still the best delicacies today.