Mochi tally for 2004-5

[GomiGirl]

This is something that I haven't seen reported yet this year.. anyone help me out???

[Marvin Feltcher]

Sorry!

[Mels]

Havent heard anything yet.
We had ozoni today, and I did ask my family to be careful eating the mochi...I once had a close call when i was a kid.

But it is so good. LOL

[DJEB]

It's a running gag (if you'll excuse the dark pun) with my in-laws that I can't understand why so many would eat such a dangerous food.

It's a great excuse to get less mochi. I must admit I'm not a big fan of that type of muchi...

[American Oyaji]

I love mochi.

dip in sesame paste...

or wrap it in nori and dip in shoyu.

[Pencilslave]

This is something that I haven't seen reported yet this year.. anyone help me out???

Forgive my ignorance, but I'm not sure what Mochi is. I believe it's a sweetened rice cake correct?

[DJEB]

Forgive my ignorance, but I'm not sure what Mochi is. I believe it's a sweetened rice cake correct?

Right, but it isn't sweetened. Mochi gome (mochi rice) is pounded until it is a smooth and deadly sticky paste.

[canman]

But I too have a morbid fascination with how many people die each year from choking on Mochi. My accountants desk worker's father died last year when he couldn't swallow a pice of mochi in his zoni. But the man was 86, so maybe it was his time. But what a way to go!

[Mulboyne]

AP via Yahoo: Three Japanese die, 22 hospitalized after choking on New Year's rice cakes
Three Japanese died and 22 others were hospitalized in Tokyo and neighboring prefectures (states) after gagging on sticky rice cakes traditionally eaten during the New Year's holidays, officials said Monday. Kihei Kurosawa, 80, choked to death on a "mochi" rice cake Sunday morning at his home in Saitama prefecture (state) north of Tokyo, said Honjo city fire department official Hidenobu Hayashi.
Two other men in their 70s from Tokyo and neighboring Chiba prefecture (state) also died over the weekend after choking on the traditional New Year's dish, according to Chiba police and Tokyo fire officials. Twenty-two Tokyo and Chiba residents were also taken to hospital during the holidays to dislodge masses of the sticky rice from their throats.

[Kanchou]

Out of curiosity, where can I get some?

I assume I would be a little bit late for the Shogatsu Mochitsuki, but can you buy it in stores or something?...

[DJEB]

You can get it at the supermarket. It comes in rectangular blocks that look like soap. Yum.

Caution: Take small bites.

[Captain Japan]

AP via Yahoo: Three Japanese die, 22 hospitalized after choking on New Year's rice cakes
Three Japanese died and 22 others were hospitalized in Tokyo and neighboring prefectures (states) after gagging on sticky rice cakes traditionally eaten during the New Year's holidays, officials said Monday. Kihei Kurosawa, 80, choked to death on a "mochi" rice cake Sunday morning at his home in Saitama prefecture (state) north of Tokyo, said Honjo city fire department official Hidenobu Hayashi.
Two other men in their 70s from Tokyo and neighboring Chiba prefecture (state) also died over the weekend after choking on the traditional New Year's dish, according to Chiba police and Tokyo fire officials. Twenty-two Tokyo and Chiba residents were also taken to hospital during the holidays to dislodge masses of the sticky rice from their throats.

The Mainichi has upped the total to 4...
New Year's rice cakes kill 4, leave 15 in critical condition

Four people died after choking on sticky mochi rice cakes on New Year's Day and the following day in the Kanto region, fire department officials said.

A 79-year-old man living in Edogawa-ku, Tokyo, choked on mochi at around 5:40 p.m. on Saturday while dining with his family, according to the Tokyo Fire Department. He was rushed to hospital where he died.

By Sunday night, 25 others -- 20 men and five women -- were transported to hospital by ambulance after choking on rice cake, fire department officials said. Of them, 13 men and two women fell into critical condition.

[dimwit]

To each there own. Mochi deaths in Japan, people dying of heart attacks doing their January 1st 'Polar Bear Club' swim in Lake Ontario. I imagine there isn't of a single country that doesn't find unique pointless ways to die.

[kurohinge1]

AP via Yahoo: Three Japanese die, 22 hospitalized after choking on New Year's rice cakes ...

The Mainichi has upped the total to 4...
New Year's rice cakes kill 4, leave 15 in critical condition...

I love mochi muchi and, in fairness to the mochi, if you were pounded relentlessly with a huge mallet, you'd probably be out for a little revenge too, wouldn't you?

[Mulboyne]

Mainichi: 4 Kanto residents choke to death on sticky rice cakes
Four elderly people died in the Kanto region around Tokyo after choking on sticky mochi rice cakes during the New Year's period, police said. At around 8 a.m., Monday, a 92-year-old woman choked on mochi at her home in Hikari, Chiba Prefecture, and was rushed to hospital where she died shortly afterwards. An 81-year-old man of Kodaira, Tokyo, a 75-year-old man from Fujioka, Gunma Prefecture, and a 74-year-old man living in the Chiba Prefecture city of Funabashi also died after choking on mochi

[kurohinge1]

Mainichi: 4 Kanto residents choke to death on sticky rice cakes
Four elderly people died in the Kanto region around Tokyo after choking on sticky mochi rice cakes during the New Year's period, police said. At around 8 a.m., Monday, a 92-year-old woman choked on mochi at her home in Hikari, Chiba Prefecture, and was rushed to hospital where she died shortly afterwards. An 81-year-old man of Kodaira, Tokyo, a 75-year-old man from Fujioka, Gunma Prefecture, and a 74-year-old man living in the Chiba Prefecture city of Funabashi also died after choking on mochi

I'm starting to think that the most acurate translation for "mochi" into English is "Euthanasia".



Or, perhaps, "Youth in Asia"

[IkemenTommy]

Bwahaha.
Wasn't there a song that goes "mo ikutsu neruto.."?
I forgot the rest.

[Mulboyne]

Mainichi: 80-year-old man dies after choking on New Year's rice cake

An 80-year-old man died after choking on a sticky mochi rice cake at his home here Monday morning, police said. At about 9 a.m. the pensioner began to choke on the mochi at his home in Chikusei, and his family asked for an ambulance, according to local police. He was rushed to hospital where he was pronounced dead. The man, who lived with his wife and other family members, was eating mochi by himself, investigators said. Japanese people have traditionally eaten mochi on happy occasions, such as New Year's Day.

[Charles]

I want little teeny mochi pounded by little teeny robots. Anyone ought to be able to swallow them.

[Greji]

I want little teeny mochi pounded by little teeny robots. Anyone ought to be able to swallow them.

Forget the mochi and swallow the robots. Probably safer!

[kurohinge1]

Mainichi: 80-year-old man dies after choking on New Year's rice cake

The Mochi-Tally for '06/07 appears to be 3 "kills" and 15 "near misses".

At least 3 Japanese die after choking on rice cakes

At least three Japanese died and 15 were hospitalized after choking on sticky rice cakes traditionally eaten during the New Year's holidays, police and fire department officials said Tuesday . . .more

Mochi has a long way to go to catch the Fugu.

[Taro Toporific]

Mochi has a long way to go to catch the Fugu.

I like this factoid from Wikipedia:
[color="White"]............[/color]..."The more poisonous testicles of the fugu can
[color="White"]............[/color]also be eaten]............[/color]and taste slightly salty.
[color="White"]............[/color]This is also considered to be an aphrodisiac...."

[kurohinge1]

* bump *

The Mochi-Tally for '06/07 appears to be 3 "kills" and 15 "near misses".

. . . . . .

Just stumbled on this blogspot claiming that mochi marauders notched up 5 dead and 8 wounded in 2 days of clashes with the elderly, at the start of 2009, and that's in one city alone.

It also links to a Japan Today article indicating that there is mochi to be afraid of:

The choking death last week of a schoolboy in Funabashi, Chiba Prefecture, has spotlighted a little-known fact in Japan: More than 4,000 people choke to death on food every year.

. . . According to data compiled by the health ministry, 4,407 people died by choking in 2006. By age, about 85 percent were over 65.

. . . By type of food, "mochi" pounded rice was the top culprit, followed by rice, bread and "okayu" rice porridge. . . more

[omae mona]

How the hell do you choke to death on okayu? It's porridge, for heaven's sake. It can't get stuck in your throat. My guess is that the deaths were bedridden people whose caretakers dumped too much of it down their throats and walked away before checking that they swallowed.

[Greji]

caretakers dumped too much of it down their throats and walked away before checking that they swallowed.

Noriko told me that's impossible....

[IkemenTommy]

I haven't seen any news articles yet but where are we at this year?

[dimwit]

How the hell do you choke to death on okayu? It's porridge, for heaven's sake.

Snot would be better description of its texture.

As for the count this year I guess we'll find out tomorrow, being a press holiday and all. But if someone is running a pool, you can put me down for 6 deaths.

[Iraira]

Sankei reports that bread is more dangerous than mochi. From 2006-2007, 135 people choked on bread but did not die. 87 of those were 70 or older and 13 were 2 years old or less. 8 died (all 60 yo or older) from choking on bread (not the band).

http://sankei.jp.msn.com/affairs/crime/081024/crm0810240944004-n1.htm

[FG Lurker]

Sankei reports that bread is more dangerous than mochi.

I think this is another case of "lies, damn lies, and statistics". I'm guessing the number of pieces of bread eaten in a year far exceeds the number of mochi...

[IkemenTommy]

The mochi tally for 2010 is up to 7 so far..
Male (72)Female (67)
Male (75?)
Male (83)
Male (60)
Male (68 ), Male (61), and 1 unconscious