SAN FRANCISCO — The Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California will be hosting the traditional community activity of rice-pounding at its annual Mochitsuki Workshops on Saturday, Dec. 28.
It is a wonderful way for all ages to take part in this Japanese New Year’s tradition, learning and sharing with friends and family during this joyous time.
The workshop will be directed by George Yamada, who previously owned Yamada-Seika, a manju-ya in San Francisco Japantown that served the community for 36 years. He is delighted to share his experience and knowledge with those who want to learn the art of mochi-making.
In these half-hour workshops, participants will witness the entire mochi-making process, including Yamada’s unique demonstration of transforming hot rice into mochi using a mochi-pounding machine. Participants will then learn how to hand shape the mochi into small cakes and learn about various ways the mochi can be prepared using ingredients such as kinako or anko.
In the end, participants will take home two pounds of their own handmade mochi to share with their friends and family as they ring in the new year.
The workshop fee is $17 general, $12 for JCCCNC members. Children under 5 years of age are admitted free with a paid adult during the same shift. An adult must accompany children who are under ten years of age.
Register by Dec. 20 online at http://bit.ly/MochiWorkshop or call Jennifer Hamamoto at (415) 567-5505, ext.227, and note the shift you would like to attend (space is limited). The following are the available shifts:
• Shift 1 (11-11:30 a.m.)
• Shift 2 (11:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m.)
• Shift 3 (12:30-1 p.m.)
• Shift 4 (1:30-2 p.m.)
• Shift 5 (2:15-2:45 p.m.)
• Shift 6 (3-3:30 p.m.)
• Shift 7 (3:45-4:15 p.m.)
• Shift 8 (4:30-5 p.m.)
• Shift 9 (5:15-5:45 p.m.)
• Shift 10 (6-6:30 p.m.)
JCCCNC is located at 1840 Sutter St. between Buchanan and Webster. On the Web: www.jcccnc.org
