The Mochi Master

 The more I watch these brief Japanese videos on some of the many traditions of Japan, the more I notice a sort of trend. From sushi making to fish printing, and now mochi pounding. I've noticed that these crafts are more of an art than anything else, and those doing it are highly skilled at what they do, and are regarded as masters since they spend most of their lives devoted to their work. Nakatani-san is no different, he started mochi making as a first grader in his home town of Kamikitayama in the Yoshino district. His dream of sharing his mochi with others lead him to open his own mochi store in the city, where both locals and visitors alike come to watch his craftsmanship. Mochi pounding is tiring and strenuous work, and Nakatani-san's little store produces 30-40 batches per-day. However, when asked if he ever thought about quitting, Nakatani-san was quick to answer saying it never even crossed his mind. Nakatani-san is very proud of his work and technique, and while on its own is marvelous to watch, his message to those visiting is that there is purpose to what he does, and what he's doing is what makes his mochi delicious, it is not a mere street act. Overall, This video shows really the  expertise that goes into mochi pounding, and really the depth of the tradition behind it. When listening to the Nihongo, and reading the English subtitles it was nice to see things that I learned in class such as the basic introduction sentences a long with some of the grammar when speaking of one hometown/ origin.

    Back home traditional pounded mochi like this is eaten frequently at New Year and other Japanese holidays/festivities, however it can be found year round in convenience stores including 7-11! While most are probably not as tasty as Master Nakatani's it still shows that mochi is a Japanese staple food and its influence has spread throughout the pacific.