mochi pounding day

Yesterday we were invited to attend a mochi pounding (special rice cake for the new year) party hosted by a Japanese cub scout pack. It was really interesting to see how the mochi is made.

1. steam the rice-a special kind of rice, not the regular kind 2. pour the hot, cooked rice in the large wooden bins

3. pound away!!

Trent, taking a turn pounding.

Japanese scouts, in line for a pounding turn. I love how they wear the entire uniform, shorts and socks and all.

Then the mochi is taken out and eaten in many different ways. Emily is eating mochi soup--a special new years soup.

This is the mochi dish line up

bean paste

Then some of the scouts came out all dressed up and had everyone play a game similar to rock, paper scissors, which is called Jan, Ken, po, in Japanese.