Mochitsuki (Pounding mochi rice) is a very traditional Japanese event. Mochi is made from crushed and pounded rice and was considered a sacred food in ancient days in honor of the importance of rice, a staple food in Japan for thousands of years.

Mochi rice is pounded by using traditional wooden usu and kine (large mortar and pestle).

There are several ways to enjoy mochi: kinako mochi (mochi with sweetened soybean flour), an mochi (mochi with sweetened beans), yaki mochi (baked mochi with soy sauce and seaweed) and miso mochi (mochi with fermented bean paste).