Mochi is Japanese rice cake made by pounding glutinous rice into a paste and molding it into shapes which can be eaten right away or cured and dried for later use. Japanese farmers are said to eat mochi on cold winter days to increase their stamina. Samurai took mochi to the battlefield because it was easy to carry and to prepare. The sound of samurai pounding mochi was a sign that they were about to go into battle.

Mochi ice cream is wrapping ice cream in the Japanese traditional mochi rice cake. This fusion desert of Japan authenticity and ice cream is now popular in eastern Asia and most western countries.