Zoni is a Japanese soup containing rice cakes. It is eaten on New Year's Day. Tofu, potato, chicken, Kamaboko (boiled fish paste) and other ingredients are used for making it. This soup is made from Kombu (sea tangle), Katsuo (bonito) or Niboshi (dried small sardines). There are two kinds of rice cake, round and square. The recipe depends on homes and regions.
Zoni has been eaten since about 1300. People eat it praying to God for a happy year. The word Zoni comes from an old Japanese tradition.