
When it’s this easy and this affordable, there’s really never a reason to not be eating warabi mochi.
Daiso isn’t Japan’s favorite 100 yen store just because of its low prices, but also because of its amazing selection. It seems like every time we stop by, we find something awesome that we didn’t know that they sold, and suddenly realize we need.
The latest example of that: on our last Daiso run, we found out that they have super-easy-to-use kits for making your own mochi sweets!
Specifically, this kit is for making warabi mochi, a jiggly mochi dessert. The kit costs just 100 yen (US$0.65), and it contains every single ingredient you’ll need, aside from some water. As for necessary equipment, you’ll need a bowl, something to stir with, a spatula, and a microwave.
Open up the pack, and you’ll find three packets inside. The white one is mochi flour, the brown one is kinako (sweet roasted soybean powder), and the black one is kuromitsu (a molasses-like sugar syrup used in traditional Japanese desserts).
Start by combining the mochi flour with water in a bowl and stirring them together. We used the entire 50-gram (1.8-ounce) packet of flour, which requires 230 milliliters (7.8 ounces) of water, and the resulting mixture should be milky in color and consistency.
Next, pop the mixture in the microwave. In total, the directions call for four minutes of heating at a 500-watt setting, but you’ll actually want to break that time up into one-minute stints, taking the bowl out and stirring between sessions to make sure the mixture hardens evenly.
We didn’t notice much of a change after the first and second stint in the microwave. But the third made a dramatic difference, as a translucent gelatin was forming in the center!
Give this a stir, and you’ll feel that it’s now in a half-solid, half-liquid state, making this feel like half cooking project and half science experiment.
After one more time in the microwave, the mixture should now be a sticky paste.
It’ll take a bit more force now, but give it another couple of good stirs, then transfer it to a container of some sort, making sure you’ve got some extra space left over inside.
Next, we need to cool the mixture down, but you’re not supposed to put it in the refrigerator to do so. Instead, cover the mixture with cold water from the tap.
The kit’s directions are pretty vague on the exact amount, simply saying to “cover it with plenty of water poured from above,” so we filled the container up.
The water won’t dissolve the gelatin, and after an hour or two, the mixture should be firm and cool.
Now it’s time to cut the mixture into blocks, which you can do with a spatula.
At this point, you’ve got a bowl of warabi mochi! Well, technically this is warabi mochi, but before you dig in you’ll want to spruce it up some, which is where the kinako and kuromitsu come into play. Open up their packets, pour them on…
…and now you’re really ready to eat!
Part of what makes warabi mochi a classic Japanese dessert is how simple it is, and that straightforward deliciousness is 100-percent present in this 100-yen do-it-yourself version. Put it on a classy plate, and maybe even add a dash of matcha green tea powder if you’ve got some handy, and you’ve got an easy-to-make, easy-to-love treat for the next time you’re having friends over or just feel like indulging your Japanese sweet tooth.
Photos ©SoraNews24
● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
[ Read in Japanese ]




















Make luxurious, stylish green tea at home with this matcha warabi latte kit
How to make Kyoto’s most famous dessert, nama yatsuhashi, with your microwave
Easy-to-use mochi-making kitchen gadget is here to help you create home-made Japanese sweets
Cola-flavored mochi sweets are half Japanese tradition, half jiggly Pop Rock
New Japanese Kit Kat features flavour of traditional shingen mochi dessert
12-year-old British girl who went missing in Tokyo found safe after visiting anime sites around Yokohama
Stay at a hotel with a bed for your plushie in Japan
Japan’s Rabbit Island in danger of becoming Boar Island, tourists asked to follow feeding rules
Japanese gacha machine in Shibuya now sells tiny capsule terrariums
Visiting Japan’s muscular mascot character dog at his free museum near Kansai International Airport
Best burger in Tokyo? JB’s serves up a cheap craft burger that not a lot of people know about
Study finds hundreds of people in Indonesia legally named after Naruto, Inuyasha, other anime stars
12-year-old foreign tourist missing in Japan, police asking for help finding her [Video]
Body of missing foreign tourist in Japan found floating off coast of town he was last seen in
Teen girl in Japan refuses to be victim, personally escorts train pervert to police for arrest
Studio Ghibli adds new Jiji’s baby plush toy to its anime merchandise range in Japan
The Japanese city where ordering grilled chicken doesn’t guarantee you’ll actually get chicken
Japan’s new beer glass is designed to force you to drink…water [Video]
Japanese airlines set to cut fuel surcharges for international flights in September and October
Beautiful off-the-beaten-path spot near samurai castle in rural Japan looks like a Monet painting
New Japanese vending machine at Shinkansen station sells cups of ice on platform
This beautiful rural Japan river is a great alternative to touristy summer retreats [Photos]
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Japan now has human refrigerators inspired by Japanese vending machines
New Shinkansen luggage drop-off system begins in Japan, making train travel even easier
Hatsune Miku collaborates with Hokusai’s art in new Vocaloid ukiyo-e illustration series [Pics]
Studio Ghibli releases anime T-shirts that pay homage to one of Hayao Miyazaki’s most personal films
Air-conditioned dress shirts arrive in Japan to save working professionals from sweltering heat
Japanese Shinkansen becomes an overnight hotel for three nights this summer
Pokémon Center Online designates first Pokémon items that will require Japanese ID card to buy
Japanese toilet aims to attract foreign tourists but not everybody is happy about it
99-year-old woman rescued while attempting to climb Mt. Fuji
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
These easy DIY bath bombs can be made with ingredients from the 100 yen shop
Is Daiso’s microwave Japanese rolled omelet maker worth your time and money? [Taste test]
How to make the most beautiful at-home tamagokakegohan ever with a 100 yen store kitchen gadget
Does this egg timer from Japanese 100-yen store Daiso really work?
A visit to the largest Daiso 100 yen shop in all Japan【Photos】
We became Japanese sweet chefs for a day with Popin Cooking’s DIY wagashi set
We try out a 100-yen store bowl designed for microwaving frozen udon noodles
Daiso’s super-easy, super-cheap sushi maker lets you make sushi rolls without rolling anything
Fruit daifuku – A Japanese mochi dessert that’s simple to make and awesome to experiment with
Daiso DIY anime art! How to make awesome acrylic character blocks with 100 yen store parts
How to make an awesome Japanese summer dessert using only things you can buy at Daiso【SoraKitchen】
100-yen gyoza gadget helps you make delicious dumplings in the blink of an eye
How to put together an earthquake/typhoon preparedness kit at the 100 yen shop
This super-compact raincoat from one of Japan’s 100-yen stores can literally fit in your pocket
64 Sanrio characters, decades of kawaii culture history all on one cup from 100-yen store Daiso!【Pics】