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Making more mochi proves popular at IslandWood

Published 3:50 pm Monday, January 6, 2014

By Luciano Marano

Andrew Wozniak takes a turn at pounding the steamed rice with a large wooden mallet
Andrew Wozniak takes a turn at pounding the steamed rice with a large wooden mallet

The 25th annual Bainbridge Island Japanese American community traditional mochi tsuki New Year’s event was held Sunday, Jan. 5 at IslandWood.

The nation’s largest and one of the longest running public mochi tsuki events in the country, the beloved community tradition continues to grow in attendance and saw more than 1,000 visitors this year in the first hour alone, according to even coordinator Clarence Moriwaki, president of the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial Association.

For over 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 each other good health and prosperity in for the coming  year.

Review photographer Luciano Marano presents here some of his favorite shots of the day, including a special appearance by Congressman Derek Kilmer.

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