The iconic Japanese New Year’s tradition of Mochi Tsuki (moe–chee sue–key) will return to IslandWood on Sunday, Jan. 8.

For more than a millennium, making and eating the sweet rice treat mochi has been a celebrated New Year’s tradition in Japan, with generations of families and communities coming together to wish good health and prosperity for the new year. Each year the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Community brings this celebration to Bainbridge Island and invite everyone, young and old, to bundle up against the crisp winter air, and enjoy the tradition of mochi tsuki — or “mochi–making.”

Mochi–making involves a centuries old method of first steaming the sweet rice over an open fire, then placing the cooked rice into a warm stone or concrete bowl called an usu. Using large wooden mallets, two people rhythmically pound the rice in the usu while a third person uses his bare hands to swiftly move the rice between each mallet crash.

After several minutes of vigorous pounding, the rice becomes a thick, smooth dough: mochi.

While traditional pounding takes place outside, back in the kitchen modern mochi-making appliances are also running. Once cooked and pounded, people of all ages hand form the steaming–hot mochi into small cakes. Some are filled with a sweet bean paste called ahn. Guests can then eat their mochi warm and fresh, or bring them home to be later roasted and dipped in a sweetened soy sauce.

The event is free, though donations or mochi will be accepted.

Visit www.bijac.org for more information.