Mochitsuki (Mochi Pounding) 餅つき

Mochi is steamed sweet rice pounded into rice cakes. 

Mochi rice is soaked in water overnight.  It is then steamed and put into a wooden or stone ubu (bowl).

A kine (wooden mallot) is used to pound the rice.  It must be kept wet to prevent the mochi from sticking to it.

After pounding a few times, the mochi is folded, then pounded again.  This process is done several times.

Once the mochi is ready, it is handed out.  Many kids had sticky hands after this, and had to wash off the rice.

Mochi was served with anko (sweet bean paste), kinako (roasted soy bean powder), and nori (seaweed wrap), along with soy sauce.

If you would like to make your own mochi, but don't want to do it the traditional way with ubu and kine, there are electric mochi makers available for purchase.  If your local stores don't carry any, here are a few links to some found online.  Sometimes they will run out of stock, so you may need to check back later.