After achieving success with the Awa Ai business, wealthy merchants would go all out at the end of the year and hold extravagant celebrations where they would make and eat New Year’s mochi (rice cakes) while singing to the performances of versatile entertainers playing the shamisen, flute, taiko drums, and bells. To this day, this tradition has been carefully handed down, and shamisen mochitsuki events are often held to celebrate the end of the work year and various events.