Last week, was a super exciting day for all of us in the International course, because it was our annual Omochitsuki– the traditional Japanese rice-pounding event!

Early in the morning, all the classes in the international course, Rabbit Class, Lion Class, and us, Bear Class, gathered in front of our school. We all stood there buzzing with excitement. Our teachers explained that we will be watching and cheering while our friends in the Lion Class do the pounding.

Before anything began, our teachers introduced all the materials needed for the event. They showed us the heavy mortar, called usu and the big wooden mallet, called kine. It made us giggle when some of our friends shouted “hammer!” referring to kine. Then one of our teachers showed us the rice that we would use to make rice cakes, saying it’s not a normal rice but a sticky one, called mochigome.

When everything was ready, the event started with our school drivers and teachers doing the first big pound. We clapped and cheered as they do it. Then it was the Lion Class’s turn. Our friends in the Lion Class came forward two at a time together with our principal. Wearing their mameshibori, looking confident, they each took turns lifting the giant mallet and pounding the warm sticky rice. Each time the mallet came down, all of us shouted, “Yoisho! Yoisho! Yoisho!”

After all the pounding was done and the rice turned into soft and chewy, we gathered and watched as our principal and other school staffs form the mochi into small round rice cakes. Our teachers told us that that these would be given to us to take home at the end of the day. We were so excited knowing that we would bring home real mochi made right in front of us.

Even though we didn’t get to do the pounding this year, it was still an amazing experience. Watching, learning, cheering and seeing the mochi-making up close made the day very special. For next year, it will be our turn to lift the big mallet!