Authorities in Japan warn the public every year about the choking hazards of mochi, a thick cake made from sweet rice that’s traditionally served to ring in the new year. Last January, two people died<\/a> and seven other people were hospitalized after choking on the treat.<\/p>\n Elderly people are particularly vulnerable to the risks presented by the doughy cake, and Japan has one of the world’s oldest populations<\/a>. Over the past five years, 338 people have been rushed to the hospital after choking on mochi or other foods, and over 90% of them were aged 65 or older, according to statistics updated last month<\/a> by the Tokyo Fire Department. More than half of those hospitalizations \u2014 177 \u2014 have occurred in January and December, when mochi is most often served.<\/p>\n Authorities have offered tips for avoiding mochi-related incidents, including chewing slowly, cutting the cake into small pieces, and moistening your throat with tea or soup before eating it. <\/p>\n Mochi is a staple of the Japanese New Year’s holiday menu and is often eaten in a savory soup called ozoni. Emily Anderson, a curator at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles,\u00a0told “CBS Sunday Morning”<\/a>\u00a0that New Year’s Day is the biggest holiday in Japan, and the rice cake is an integral part of celebrating.<\/p>\n “Eating mochi is a really important part of the most important family-oriented day,” she said.<\/p>\n Mochi on a plate in Japan on December 29, 2021.\u00a0<\/p>\n Lars Nicolaysen\/picture alliance via Getty Images<\/p>\n But the glutinous cakes can easily get stuck in people’s throats, restricting breathing \u2014 and sometimes causing death.<\/p>\n In 2022, four women choked to death on the rice cakes and 12 other people were hospitalized. In 2015,\u00a0nine people were believed to have died<\/a>\u00a0taking part in the annual culinary tradition.<\/p>\n![\"Japan's](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/gettyimages-1237454581.jpg#.jpeg\")
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