On Wednesday, September 2, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. in Chiyoda, Tokyo, the tsuitachi-mochi we share is Akafuku's September cake, Hagi no Mochi. It is the September cake in the form of ohagi.

The day of the cake and the day of the gathering

The first of each month is the day of Tsuitachi-mairi in Ise, and the day Akafuku sells Tsuitachi-mochi. They are meant to be eaten the same day. Tokiwakai's gathering is on the 2nd. We eat the cakes bought on the 1st.

Tsuitachi-mairi

In Ise, people rise earlier than usual on the first and visit the shrine. They give thanks for a month safely passed and pray for the month ahead. After worship they take that month's cake. At the Tokyo gathering we eat the cake and talk, on those same days.

Tsuitachi-mochi

Akafuku has sold these monthly cakes since February 1978 (Showa 53). Only on the first, except New Year's Day — eleven kinds from February through December. Early-morning sales at the main shop use numbered tickets, from 4:45 a.m. How they are sold can change from year to year; check Akafuku's own notice. In Akafuku's copy the visit is written "Tsuitachi-mairi" (朔日参り).

September is Hagi no Mochi

・February: Risshun Daikichi-mochi ・March: Yomogi-mochi ・April: Sakura-mochi ・May: Kashiwa-mochi ・June: Mugite-mochi ・July: Sasa warabi-mochi ・August: Hassaku Awa-mochi ・September: Hagi no Mochi ・October: Kuri-mochi ・November: Ebisu-mochi ・December: Yuki-mochi

Akafuku's product text

Hagi, one of the seven flowers of autumn, is written with the characters for grass and autumn. Akafuku's notice for Hagi no Mochi says the shape and color of the carefully simmered whole-bean paste were likened to blooming bush clover — and that this is the origin of ohagi.

Volunteers in Ise buy them at dawn on the 1st. The next day we eat them in Tokyo. The next cake is October's Kuri-mochi.

Kanname-sai

Kanname-sai is the festival that offers that year's first ears of rice to the Shrine. Ise Jingu writes that the new grain of the year is presented to Amaterasu Omikami. In 2026 it falls on October 15, 16, and 17. On the 15th is Hatsuhobiki at Geku; on the 16th, Hatsuhobiki at Naiku. Tokiwakai has posted a joining notice for those two days on Peatix.

Sources: Ise Jingu, "Kanname-sai"; the ritual calendar for October 2026.

Slides for the hall

On September 2 we will project these slides. Open them in a browser and use the arrow keys.

https://www.isetokiwa.jp/slides/tsuitachi-kai-2026-09/

Sources: Akafuku, "How to buy and reserve Tsuitachi-mochi"; the Akafuku Tsuitachi-mochi reservation site; the Hagi no Mochi product text carried by department stores.