On December 10, the children experienced traditional Japanese culture through a "Mochitsuki" (rice cake pounding) event at Affiliated Kindergarten.
This annual mochitsuki event featured glutinous rice grown by the senior kindergarten class since spring in the satoyama area. The kindergarten invited members of Satoyama Mate—a local community group engaged in agriculture and satoyama conservation around Kakuma—to join the celebration. Together, they pounded rice cakes and enjoyed mochi with kinako (soybean flour) and sweet red bean paste.
After the mochitsuki, the children expressed their gratitude to the members of Satoyama Mate who had supported them throughout the process—from rice planting to threshing. They also presented handmade shimenawa (traditional sacred ropes) crafted from straw left over after threshing.
The children were amazed by the weight of the kine (wooden mallet) and fascinated by the transformation of glutinous rice into mochi. Through these experiences, they became familiar with and enjoyed traditional Japanese culture.
-
Young Children Swing the Kine with Their Teacher -
Observe the Glutinous Rice They made Turn Into Mochi -
Children Expressing Their Gratitude to Those Who Have Taken Care of Them
PAGE TOP