[Free Pattern] Crochet Kagami Mochi Amigurumi for the New Year・[無料編み図] かぎ針編み鏡餅

Goodbye 2024 and hello 2025!

Wow, it's been almost a year since I posted anything here. There were a few big changes and unsettling events in 2024 that kept me on my toes. I can't say it's been a smooth year and at times it was hard to maintain emotional balance. However, there were also many good moments with good people, my ever loving and supportive spouse and my close friends, so I am thankful for them.

Two years ago, I welcomed 2023 with a hanabira mochi amigurumi, a traditional wagashi Shogatsu (正月) (the Japanese New Year). For 2025, I made a miniature kagami mochi amigurumi for a Japanese friend. It was originally intended to be a keychain but it looked pretty cute standing on its own, so I left it as-is. I decided to make 2 more, a 2nd one for another friend, and 1 for myself. Haha. For these subsequent kagami mochi amigurumi, I tweaked a few things in the pattern, mainly the bicoloured cord.

One of the essential Shogatsu decorations, the kagami mochi (鏡餅) consists of a stack of 2 or 3 round mochi discs topped with a variety of bitter orange called daidai (橙). Feel free to read on for more or to jump to the pattern.

Kagami mochi amigurumi for the New Year.

It seems odd that it's called kagami mochi, literally "mirror rice cake", when it looks nothing like a mirror, but that would be a quirk of history. Its name dates back to the Muromachi era as the mochi, with its flat and round shape, resembled early bronze mirrors. Additionally, in early Japan, mirrors were considered sacred objects in which the kami resided. The best example of such early bronze mirrors would be the Yata no Kagami (八咫鏡), one of the Three Sacred Treasures of Japan, said to have been forged by the kami of mirrors Ishikoridome no Mikoto in order to lure the sun goddess Amaterasu out of the cave.

The kagami mochi holds auspicious symbolism. The roundness of the mochi represents the first full moon of spring, which occurs on the 15th night of the Lunar New Year according to the lunar calendar. A day known as Koshogatsu (小正月) in Japanese tradition or Yuanxiao Jie (元宵节) in Chinese tradition. The full moon is known as mochizuki (望月, もちづき) in Japanese, thus round mochi or dango are offered (望 and 餅 are homophones). This was also the reason I made the six-coloured tangyuan amigurumi for Chinese New Year 2024.

The daidai orange on top symbolises longevity and the continuation of generations, being a homophonic play on the Japanese words "dai dai" (代代/代々), which means "for generations" or "generation to generation". The daidai generally has at least one leaf attached, referencing the fruit's nature of not falling off the tree even when ripe, again symbolising longevity and the continuation of generations.

Besides its auspicious symbolism, the kagami mochi holds great cultural significance in Shogatsu traditions. During this time, it is presented to welcome the Toshigami (年神), the year god or the kami of abundant harvests, as well as to demonstrate the household's gratitude for the year's bountiful harvest. Towards the end of Shogatsu, it has been customary since early times to 'open' the kagami mochi with a mallet in a ritual known as kagami biraki (鏡開き). The mochi pieces are called otoshidama (お年玉), and are used to prepare various dishes, such as the traditional Shogatsu soup ozoni (お雑煮), zenzai (ぜんざい) and kakimochi (かき餅). These foods are then consumed by the household, a custom which symbolises receiving the spiritual vitality and blessing of the Toshigami for the year ahead.

KAGAMI MOCHI AMIGURUMI CROCHET PATTERN

Materials & Tools:
• Yarn in soft white, white, red, orange and medium green
• 2.5mm crochet hooks
• Stuffing
• Stitch markers
• Scissors
• Yarn needle
• Safety eyes, embroidery thread (optional)

For my amigurumi, I used a 2.3mm crochet hook, Scheepjes Catona No.105 Bridal White, No.106 Snow White, No.281 Tangerine, No.390 Poppy Rose and No.412 Forest Green.

Abbreviations (US terms):
R : round or row (as the case may be)
MR : magic ring
ch : chain
sl st : slip stitch
st(s) : stitch(es)
sc : single crochet
inc : increase (2 single crochet stitches in the same stitch)
dec : decrease
(...) : a sequence of pattern instructions
[...] : total number of stitches in the round/row

Finished Size:
Approx. 4.5cm × 4.5cm × 5.5cm
(The finished size depends on yarn weight, crochet hook size and crochet tension.)

TOP MOCHI

Using soft white yarn, work in rounds,
R1. 6 sc in MR. [6]
R2. 6 inc. [12]
R3. (sc, inc) 6 times. [18]
R4. (sc, inc, sc) 6 times. [24]
R5. (3 sc, inc) 6 times. [30]
R6-9 (4 rounds). 30 sc. [30]
R10. (3 sc, dec) 6 times. [24]
Stuff (do not overstuff as it needs to be slightly flattened at the top and bottom),
R11. (sc, dec, sc) 6 times. [18]
R12. (sc, dec) 6 times. [12]
R13. 6 dec. [6]
Fasten off. Weave the end through the front loops of the last 6 sts and pull to close work. Reinsert the end into the centre and hide it inside the work.

BOTTOM MOCHI

Using soft white yarn, work in rounds,
R1. 6 sc in MR. [6]
R2. 6 inc. [12]
R3. (sc, inc) 6 times. [18]
R4. (sc, inc, sc) 6 times. [24]
R5. (3 sc, inc) 6 times. [30]
R6. (2 sc, inc, 2 sc) 6 times. [36]
R7-11 (5 rounds). 36 sc. [36]
R12. (2 sc, dec, 2 sc) 6 times. [30]
R13. (3 sc, dec) 6 times. [24]
Stuff (do not overstuff as it needs to be slightly flattened at the top and bottom)
R18. (sc, dec, sc) 6 times. [18]
R19. (sc, dec) 6 times. [12]
R20. 6 dec. [6]
Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing. Weave the tail through the front loops of the last 6 sts and pull to close work. Reinsert the tail through the centre and bring it up between R13 and R14.

DAIDAI ORANGE

Using orange yarn, work in rounds,
R1. 6 sc in MR. [6]
R2. 6 inc. [12]
R3-5 (3 rounds). 12 sc. [12]
Stuff,
R6. 6 dec. [6]
Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing.
Weave the tail through the front loops of the last 6 sts and pull to close work.

LEAF

Using medium green yarn,
R1. Ch 4, 1 sl st in the 2nd ch from hook, 1 sc on the next ch, 1 sl st in the last ch.
Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing.
Weave the tail through the front loops of the last 6 sts and pull to close work.

CORD

For the cord to go around the Kagami Mochi, make 2 bicoloured cords with red and white yarn according to this video tutorial by Garnstudio DROPS Design.
For the 1st cord, make it long enough to go around the Kagami Mochi, between the Top Mochi and the Bottom Mochi, about 28 stitches. Fasten off and leave a tail for sewing.
For the 2nd cord, make it long enough to form a bow, about 36 stitches. Fasten off and leave a tail for sewing.

TO COMPLETE

Complete the Kagami Mochi.
1. Place the Top Mochi on top of the Bottom Mochi.
2. Using the yarn tail of the Bottom Mochi, join the Top Mochi (between R10 and R11) to the Bottom Mochi (between R13 and R14).
3. Slightly flatten the top and base of the Kagami Mochi. Secure and hide the end inside the Kagami Mochi.

Attach the Daidai Orange to the top of the Kagami Mochi.
4. Place the Orange in the centre of R1 of the Top Mochi.
5. Using the yarn tail of the Orange, sew the Orange (R6) to the Top Mochi (R1).
6. Secure and hide the end inside the Kagami Mochi.

Attach the Leaf to the Daidai Orange.
7. Using the yarn tail of the Leaf, sew the Leaf to the centre of R1 of the Orange.
8. Secure and hide the end inside the Orange.

Complete the Cord.
9. Shape the 2nd cord into the shape of a simple ribbon bow.
10. Using the tail of the 1st cord, stitch or wrap it around the centre of the bow to hold the bow's shape in place.

Attach the Cord to the Kagami Mochi.
11. Wrap the 1st cord around the Kagami Mochi, between the Top Mochi and Bottom Mochi.
12. Use the tail of the 1st cord to attach it to the Kagami Mochi to fix the cord in place.
13. Use the tail of the 2nd cord to stitch the bow to the Kagami Mochi to fix the bow in place.
14. Finally, secure and hide all ends inside the work.

The first kagami mochi amigurumi that I made as a gift to a friend (IG). Only made minor tweaks, the biggest change being the bicoloured cord around the item. The first one was a little smaller and firmer because I used the yarn under method, which results in a slightly tighter, x-shaped sc stitch.

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As always, thank you for stopping by, and I hope this kagami mochi amigurumi pattern will be fun to make. As with all my other patterns, I would be happy to see how your finished version turns out, so please tag me on Instagram @yotsuba_blythes.

As with all my other pattern and images, my pattern and images are not for commercial use, sale or distribution. As the author, I assert my full legal and moral rights with respect to this pattern. Sale of my pattern is not permitted. You are welcome to sell limited quantities of the finished items that you made using this pattern. If you wish to share this pattern, please link to this post and/or my Instagram handle @yotsuba_blythes. Thank you.