Two people in Japan have died and seven others had to be taken to hospitals after choking on mochi, a sweet rice cake that can prove difficult to swallow if not thoroughly chewed. In just the first ...

Have you ever tasted a dessert that dissolves in your mouth with the first bite? Mizu Shingen Mochi is a true masterpiece of ...

Despite an annual warning from authorities, a deadly New Year's trend continued in Japan this week as two people died after choking on mochi — a doughy cake made from steamed sweet rice that is ...

Children take part in a mochi pounding event in the rooftop garden at Roppongi Hills in Tokyo on Saturday. Approximately 170 ...

Japan’s emergency services are warning New Year revellers not to bite off more than they can chew when they savour traditional mochi rice cakes over the holidays. An essential element of the ...

Choking on mochi is so common that authorities offer tips every year on how to help someone who has the food lodged in their throat.

Chief Master Sgt. Griselda Criddell, of the 374th Maintenance Squadron, and her daughter try on kimonos during Japan Culture ...

This is mochi, or rice cake, formed into a round shape to represent a mirror (kagami), one of the three sacred treasures, and displayed at New Year as an offering to the New Year gods (toshigami).

And it’s on that first day that you make something hot: ozoni, a special New Year’s soup with a dashi or miso broth, vegetables, and a little meat or fish cake, topped with grilled mochi.

Mochi is a popular food in Japan, especially during the New Year's holiday. Tokyo Fire Department officials advise cutting mochi into small pieces and chewing thoroughly before swallowing.

Two elderly men in Japan choked to death on mochi rice cakes as part of a New Year’s tradition that authorities have issued warnings about annually. Eating mochi on and around the New Year is ...