There are many variations of kagami-mochi; in some areas, three rice cakes are stacked up, or one of the two layers of rice cakes is colored red in order to represent kohaku (red and white), which is believed to be a good omen (in Ishikawa Prefecture), or shapes are created out of sugar instead of rice cakes, or rice cakes are shaped long and slender and made into a scroll so as to resemble a coiled, white snake.
地域によっては餅を三枚重ねたり、二段の片方を紅く着色して縁起が良いとされる紅白としたもの（石川県で見られる）、餅の替わりに砂糖で形作ったもの、細長く伸ばしたものを渦巻状に丸め、とぐろを巻いた白蛇に見立てたものなど様々なバリエーションが存在する。