Where to Buy Mochi in Singapore: Japanese Mochi Shops and Ordering From Japan

Singapore has some of the best access to Japanese mochi in Southeast Asia. A Japanese wagashi house sells boxed mochi in Takashimaya, a Kamakura warabimochi specialist has a kiosk on Orchard Road, and a Japanese supermarket stocks kirimochi from Japanese maker Sato Foods. Beyond those, though, the range is narrow, and most of the mochi Japanese households keep at home never reaches Singapore.

In this guide you will find:

• How to order Japan-market mochi directly from Japan, with no proxy fees and the total shown before you pay
• The difference between fresh mochi you have to buy locally and shelf-stable mochi that can be shipped
• Where to buy Japanese mochi in Singapore, store by store, with addresses, opening hours and prices in Singapore dollars
• How to eat and store mochi safely, and the GST rules for ordering from Japan

Buy Japanese Mochi Direct From Japan: kachicollect

The Mochi You Won’t Find in Singapore

Most mochi sold in Japan is made for Japanese supermarkets and never exported. Plain kirimochi is the one type you can find locally, but the range around it rarely is: kirimochi studded with black soybeans or mixed with mugwort, thin mochi sheets for hotpot, small pieces cut for children, and snack mochi, the soft, flavoured, one-bite mochi sold in resealable pouches in flavours from Amaou strawberry to yuzu and matcha.

kachicollect is a Japan-based shop that carries only products made for the Japanese market, so this is the range it deals in. Our guides to how to cook kirimochi and Japanese mochi snack flavours show what is out there, and if you are new to mochi, start with what mochi is.

How Ordering Works

You pay the listed price plus shipping, with no proxy fees, and the total including any taxes and duties is shown at checkout before you pay, so nothing extra is charged on delivery. Payment is in Singapore dollars by Visa, Mastercard or JCB, so you do not need a Japanese address or card. Orders ship worldwide with tracking and arrive in about 7 to 14 days.

Request Any Mochi by URL

If the mochi you want is not in the catalog, send the product link from a Japanese site. You get an instant quote and can buy it directly on kachicollect with no service fees, and that covers Japanese marketplace listings in general, not only shops.

Proxy services such as Buyee, ZenMarket and FROM JAPAN can also buy from Japanese sites for you, but the fee shown upfront is only the starting point, and other costs are usually added along the way. They also buy at Japanese retail prices that include Japan’s 10% domestic consumption tax and pass it on to you, while kachicollect sells for export. A kachicollect purchase request gives you the same access without proxy fees, with the total shown before you pay.

Fresh Mochi vs Shelf-Stable Mochi

Where you should buy mochi depends on the kind you want. Fresh mochi, such as daifuku and warabimochi, is made to be eaten within a day or two and cannot survive international shipping, so you need a shop that makes it or flies it in. Shelf-stable mochi is the opposite: kirimochi and packaged snack mochi are sealed to keep at room temperature for months, which is why they can be ordered from Japan.

Strictly speaking, warabimochi is not rice mochi at all but a jelly made from starch; our guide to the different types of Japanese mochi explains the difference.

Quick Comparison

Where to Buy Mochi in Singapore

kachicollect (Direct From Japan)

The only option on this list that carries the Japanese domestic range of shelf-stable mochi rather than a local selection. It delivers with tracking anywhere in Singapore, shows the total before you pay, and lets you request any mochi from a Japanese site by sending the link. See the kachicollect shop.

1. Minamoto Kitchoan

Minamoto Kitchoan is a Japanese wagashi house with a counter in the basement of Takashimaya at Ngee Ann City, selling boxed Japanese confectionery made to be given as gifts. Its mochi includes a white peach mochi, sweet white peach bean paste wrapped in soft mochi, at S$22 for a box of eight, alongside individually wrapped sweets from around S$3. The range changes with the seasons; see the official Minamoto Kitchoan Singapore website.

2. Warabimochi Kamakura

Warabimochi Kamakura is a warabimochi specialist from Kamakura, near Tokyo, with more than 50 shops in Japan, and Singapore was its first market in Southeast Asia. Its warabimochi is made from bracken starch, soft and wobbly, and dusted with kinako, and the shop also serves warabimochi drinks. Because it is fresh, eat it on the day you buy it. The Taste Orchard kiosk is a short walk from Somerset MRT; for other outlets, check Warabimochi Kamakura Singapore’s official Facebook page.

3. Meidi-ya Supermarket

Meidi-ya is a Japanese supermarket at Millenia Walk and Great World, and the most reliable place in Singapore for kirimochi to cook at home. Its official online catalogue lists Sato Foods kirimochi at S$16.96 for 1 kg and Sato Foods round mochi at S$12.41 for 400 g, along with mochiko flour at S$8.02 for 200 g if you want to make your own. You can shop in store or order through Meidi-ya’s home delivery service on the official Meidi-ya Singapore website. For ideas, see our easy mochi recipes.

For Japanese snacks and other Japanese stores in Singapore, see our guide to where to buy Japanese snacks in Singapore.

How to Eat and Store Mochi Safely

Mochi is a genuine choking hazard, especially for older people and young children. Cut it into small pieces, take small bites, drink tea or soup first to moisten your throat, chew slowly and thoroughly, and keep an eye on anyone at risk while they eat.

Kirimochi and snack mochi keep sealed at room temperature, but in Singapore’s heat and humidity, store them somewhere cool and away from direct sunlight, and once a bag is opened, refrigerate it and eat it quickly. Never eat mochi with mould on it, even if you cut the mouldy part away. Our kirimochi guide covers storage and cooking in detail.

GST and Customs on Mochi Ordered From Abroad

Singapore charges no customs duty on food like mochi; the only dutiable goods are alcohol, tobacco, motor vehicles and petroleum products. What can apply is GST at 9%. Since 1 January 2023, goods worth S$400 or less that arrive by air or post have GST charged at checkout if the overseas seller is registered for GST in Singapore, and the S$400 test applies per item rather than per shipment.

If the seller is not registered, no GST is collected at import as long as the parcel’s total value, including shipping and insurance, is S$400 or less. Above that, GST applies to the full value. With kachicollect, the total is shown at checkout before you pay, so there is nothing to work out yourself.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I buy Japanese mochi in Singapore?

For boxed Japanese mochi, Minamoto Kitchoan at Takashimaya sells wagashi including fruit mochi. For fresh warabimochi, Warabimochi Kamakura has a kiosk at Taste Orchard. For kirimochi, Meidi-ya stocks Sato Foods kirimochi at S$16.96 for 1 kg. For flavoured kirimochi and snack mochi sold only in Japan, order from Japan through kachicollect.

Where can I buy kirimochi in Singapore?

Meidi-ya’s Millenia Walk and Great World stores stock plain Sato Foods kirimochi and round mochi. For flavoured and specialty kirimochi, such as black soybean, mugwort or small pieces for children, order from Japan through kachicollect.

Can fresh daifuku be shipped from Japan?

No. Fresh daifuku is meant to be eaten within a few days, so it cannot survive international shipping. Shelf-stable snack mochi, including daifuku-style snack mochi, can be shipped.

Do I pay GST on mochi ordered from Japan?

Possibly. Items worth S$400 or less are charged 9% GST at checkout if the seller is GST-registered in Singapore; otherwise, no GST is collected at import unless the parcel is worth more than S$400 including shipping. kachicollect shows the total at checkout, before you pay.

Conclusion

Singapore covers the basics of Japanese mochi well: boxed wagashi at Minamoto Kitchoan, fresh warabimochi at Warabimochi Kamakura, and plain kirimochi at Meidi-ya. What it does not have is the wider range Japanese households keep in the cupboard, from flavoured kirimochi to the dozens of shelf-stable snack mochi sold only in Japan.

The simplest way to get that range is to buy it directly from Japan. The kachicollect catalog carries Japan-market mochi and sweets you can order today, and anything not listed can be requested by sending the product link. You pay the item price plus shipping with no proxy fees, see the total before checkout, pay in Singapore dollars, and first-time customers can use the code WELCOME20 for 20% off.