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1
Establish the seasonal frame before any preparation begins. Sakura mochi is made and served only between late February and April, coinciding with the bloom of the sakura. Prepare it outside this window and its cultural meaning is forfeit. Confirm the date falls within the sanctioned season.
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2
For Chomeiji-style: mix wheat flour with water to a thin, smooth batter. Cook in a lightly oiled pan over low heat to produce a very thin, lacy crepe — pale, just set, with no browning. The crepe is done when the surface loses its wet sheen and the edges lift cleanly.
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3
For Domyoji-style: soak domyoji-ko briefly in water, then steam until the crushed glutinous rice grains are fully tender and cohesive. The texture must be distinctly granular yet bound — this quality is particular to domyoji-ko and cannot be achieved with a substitute grain. The mass is done when the grains are translucent and press together without crumbling.
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4
Portion the red bean paste into equal pieces. For each mochi, enclose one portion of paste within its wrapper — the Chomeiji crepe is folded around the paste, the Domyoji rice mass is moulded around it by hand. This is where the dish lives or dies: the paste must be fully enclosed with no gaps, the wrapper neither so thin it tears nor so thick it overwhelms the paste, the whole form regular and composed. Press gently; the finished piece should yield slightly under the fingertip and hold its shape without splitting.
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5
Wrap each formed mochi in one pickled sakura leaf. The leaf is oriented so that its underside faces outward and the stem curves neatly at one end. The leaf is integral to the confection — its floral, salty, cherry-blossom character is consumed with the mochi, not removed. At service, the leaf remains in place.
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6
Present the two regional styles together on a single plate or individual wagashi stands, clearly distinguished. Serve immediately alongside first-harvest sencha brewed to order. The confection is ready when the sakura leaf has transferred a faint floral salt to the outer surface of the wrapper — detectable as a light, clean salinity on first contact with the tongue.