There is a custom that this mochi is divided into two of which one is colored in red with shokubeni (red coloring agent for food), and the two are celebrated as kohaku-mochi (mochi in red and white, the lucky color combination), however, in some cases, the mochi is not divided into red and white pieces because to divide the whole life into two is insolent.
餅を二分して食紅（しょくべに）で赤く着色したものを紅白餅として祝う風習があるが、一生を二分するのは不遜として紅白に分けない場合もある。