Celebrating New Year’s with Glass Kagamimochi, Sapporo Artist Makes Ceremonial Cakes to Be Enjoyed for Years to Come

Celebrating New Year’s with Glass Kagamimochi, Sapporo Artist Makes Ceremonial Cakes to Be Enjoyed for Years to Come

Glass kagamimochi ceremonial rice cakes for the New Year are displayed at glass studio GLOW in Kita Ward, Sapporo. Glass artist Issey Mizuki, 44, molds the molten glass — heated to 1,300 C in a furnace — using chopsticks and scissors. The lower sections are transparent, but air bubbles trapped inside give them a white tint. “I hope people enjoy how the appearance changes with the angle and light. I want to convey Japanese traditions through glas…