Mochitsuki '08.

This year's mochitsuki was on Saturday, out at Katsuura Elementary...

From 2008-12-13

Mochi - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

"Mochitsuki is the traditional mochi-pounding ceremony in Japan.

1. Polished glutinous rice is soaked overnight and cooked.
2. The cooked rice is pounded with wooden mallets (kine) in a traditional mortar (usu). Two people will alternate the work, one pounding and the other turning and wetting the mochi. They must keep a steady rhythm or they may accidentally injure one another with the heavy kine.
3. The sticky mass is then formed into various shapes (usually a sphere or cube)."

Always fun to watch the munchkins pounding away on the rice. Giving children large wooden mallets to hit things with always equals win.

From 2008-12-13

They also utilize the mochi-pounding-machine-of-death [not its real name, of course. I think.]

From 2008-12-13

From 2008-12-13

Sometimes I steal children.

From 2008-12-13

From 2008-12-13

I usually give them back, tho'.

Child labor at it's finest. Never let it be said that nothing can be accomplished from such measures.

From 2008-12-13

From 2008-12-13

From 2008-12-13

The Hanes Corporation ensures I never forget I was born and raised in NC.

From 2008-12-13

I defy you to find anything much cuter than this.

From 2008-12-13

This young man was making an Xmas tree out of his flour. God bless American cultural hegemony.

From 2008-12-13

In Japan, training of citizens in use of the camera begins early.

From 2008-12-13

This munchkin was hanging around. Too adorable, yes?

From 2008-12-13

...and I, of course, had to get in on the act.

From 2008-12-13

From 2008-12-13

Good times...