Umegae mochi is a grilled rice cake filled with sweet red bean paste, made by wrapping the paste in a thin layer of mochi dough and baking it on a hot iron plate stamped with a plum blossom design. When finished, a faint plum blossom mark appears at the center of the rice cake.

Despite its name, Umegae mochi does not have the flavor or fragrance of plum; rather, its name is derived from a legend associated with Sugawara no Michizane, the deity enshrined at Dazaifu Tenmangū.

In terms of confectionery classification, it is considered a "grilled sweet" (焼き菓子) rather than a "steamed sweet" like manju.

At Dazaifu Tenmangū, the 25th of each month is celebrated as "Tenjin-sama Day," commemorating Sugawara no Michizane's birth on June 25, 845, and death on March 25, 903. On this day, a special version of Umegae-mochi made with yomogi (Japanese mugwort) and colored green is sold.^[1]

Additionally, from November 17, 2015, Umegae-mochi made with ancient rice, giving it a purplish hue, has also been sold. This version was initially introduced as a limited product to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Kyushu National Museum, but it became a regular offering due to its popularity.^[2]

Umegae-mochi is sold at tea houses, souvenir shops, and specialty stores along the approach from Nishitetsu Dazaifu Station to Dazaifu Tenmangū. It is also available at festivals, tourist sites, train stations, and airports throughout Fukuoka Prefecture.