adzuki bean-covered mochi; botamochi
A traditional Japanese sweet made of glutinous rice cake coated with sweet adzuki bean paste. Often associated with spring and the peony flower (牡丹).
During the spring equinox, we offer botamochi.
The botamochi my grandmother makes are delicious, with plenty of sweet bean paste.
Common kanji-kana mixed spelling.
Kana spelling is very common and often preferred.
Full kanji spelling; less common but still seen.
The name 牡丹餅 (botamochi) comes from the resemblance to a peony flower (牡丹). The reading ぼたもち is a straightforward combination of 牡丹 (botan) and 餅 (mochi).