If you’ve ever wanted to experience freshly pounded Japanese mochi without jumping on a plane to Japan, there’s a very special little pop-up happening right here in Melbourne.
Omochi Melbourne, in collaboration with Nimbo Cafe, has popped up inside Made in Japan South Melbourne – and the best news is that they’re sticking around for three months!
We recently visited and absolutely loved the experience. Not only can you taste mochi while it’s incredibly fresh, soft and warm, you can actually watch the traditional pounding process happening right in front of you.
A little taste of Japan in South Melbourne 🇯🇵
One of the highlights of our visit was watching the mochi being made.
Traditional mochi begins with Japanese glutinous rice, which is cooked before being worked into a smooth, stretchy dough and finished by pounding.
During the demonstration, you get to see the team working together as the warm rice is repeatedly pounded with a large wooden mallet. It’s rhythmic, fascinating to watch and definitely something a little different to experience with the kids.
And then comes the best part – eating it!
What does freshly made mochi taste like? 🍡
If you’ve only ever eaten packaged mochi before, freshly pounded mochi is a completely different experience.
Ours was served fresh and warm, with an incredibly soft, stretchy and chewy texture.
When we visited, the flavours included:
🍡 Amashoyu – sweet soy
🖤 Black sesame
🌾 Kinako – roasted soybean powder
🫘 Anko – housemade sweet red bean
We enjoyed trying the different flavours, but the experience of eating the mochi so soon after watching it being made was what made the visit particularly memorable.
There are also Japanese-inspired drinks available from Nimbo Cafe, including matcha and hojicha, as well as coffee. We also tried the Earl Grey tea during our visit and would definitely recommend it.
Browse Made in Japan while you’re there
Make some extra time to explore Made in Japan South Melbourne while you’re visiting.
The store is filled with beautiful Japanese ceramics, tableware and homewares sourced from Japan. You’ll find everything from bowls, plates and cups to teapots, sake sets and other unique pieces.
We certainly didn’t leave empty-handed!
Made in Japan specialises in Japanese ceramics, including pieces sourced from the Gifu region of Japan, an area with a pottery-making history stretching back more than 1,000 years.
Omochi Melbourne pop-up details
📍 Made in Japan South Melbourne
1–7 Wynyard Street, South Melbourne VIC 3205
🍡 Omochi Melbourne x Nimbo Cafe
📅 Three-month residency (From August 2026)
The mochi pop-up currently operates on selected days, with demonstrations held at scheduled times.
For the launch sessions we attended, tickets were released from the counter on a first come, first served basis, with limited allocations. Visitors who missed out on a ticket could still join the viewing queue to watch the mochi pounding.
Because demonstration days and times may change throughout the three-month residency, we recommend checking Omochi Melbourne, Nimbo Cafe or Made in Japan South Melbourne on Instagram for the latest session information before making a special trip.
Made in Japan itself is currently open daily from 10am–5pm.
Is it worth visiting with kids?
We think so!
It’s not a huge attraction that will take up your entire day, but that’s part of its charm. The kids can see how a traditional Japanese food is made, watch the pounding up close and then taste the finished product while it’s still fresh.
It would be easy to combine with a morning exploring South Melbourne, and it’s a fun option for families who love Japanese food and culture.
Our tip: If you particularly want to take part in one of the ticketed mochi sessions, arrive early. The launch sessions had limited allocations and proved very popular.
We loved finding this little taste of Japan in Melbourne – especially after recently experiencing so much incredible food and culture in Japan ourselves. 🇯🇵🍡
Melbourne with Kidz visited and paid independently. This experience was not sponsored or a collaboration.
Details are correct at the time of publication and may change during the residency. Check directly with the venue before visiting.
Melbourne with Kidz (MWK) 
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