Young Liv and Suzu try their hand at pounding sweet rice into mochi, during a public demonstration at Yama Sushi Marketplace in San Gabriel on Dec. 20.
Customers stopping by the Yama Sushi Marketplace in San Gabriel on Dec. 20 were greeted with an unexpected surprise: the beat of a taiko, the pounding of mallets and chants of “yoisho!”
Well ahead of New Year’s Day, the popular store for seafood and other Japanese goods was hosting a demonstration of mochitsuki, the process of making the sticky traditional confection the old-fashioned way, by hand, with wooden tools and a sense of community.
“A lot of people know mochi, but I think there are a lot of people who have never seen it made in person, with drumming,” said Walter Clarke, who was part of the foursome conducting the demonstration. Also taking part were Blaine Barkey, Hien Hoang and drummer Karren Tsutsui.
After showing how it’s done, the group invited customers of all ages to try their hand at pounding the sweet rice into mochi. A little shy at first, several visitors gave in to their curiosity and gave it a go, including some children.
Chef and store manager Kiké Moreno, who has been with the store for more than 40 years, said there would also be mochitsuki demonstrations at Yama Sushi’s other locations, in Korea-town and West L.A.
Long known as one of the best outlets in Southern California for fresh fish, the store was founded in 1984 by Kenzo Yamada, who was known to locals as Mr. Yama. He had been working as a fish broker with a commitment to quality and laid the foundation for what became known as some of the best sashimi-grade fish in Los Angeles.
For decades, Yama Sushi grew a reputation as a trusted local favorite. Upon retirement, he passed the torch to Scott Kohno and his family, longtime friends of the Yamada family.
Now called Yama Sushi Marketplace, the store is celebrated for some the best grab-and-go sushi in Los Angeles, as well as a wide selection of Japanese groceries, snacks, gifts and specialty items sourced directly from Japan.
Yama employs over 130 team members, and Moreno said the San Gabriel location will soon be expanding into the adjoining building.