CJAS/JANL Mochitsuki on Dec. 28

SAN FRANCISCO — The 47th annual Center for Japanese American Studies/Japanese American National Library Mochitsuki will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 28, at Christ United Presbyterian Church, 1700 Sutter St. (at Laguna Street) in San Francisco Japantown.

Everyone is invited. Mochi-making will start at 11 a.m. and continue to around 3 p.m. Anyone willing to help with preparations is asked to come at 9 a.m.

The mochigome (special rice for mochi) is provided by George Okamoto of Nomura and Co.

“As always, everyone is encouraged to participate in the pounding of the rice, shaping of the mochi cakes, and eating and socializing all afternoon,” organizers said. “Participants can purchase the mochi to take home. Help us recruit mochi pounders. We need all the muscles we can find …

“We pound the old-fashioned way — by hand. Issei did it, Nisei did it, and Sansei do it. We want Yonsei and Gosei to continue the uniquely Japanese American cultural custom. Round up all your young generations of offspring and relatives. Once they see the mochitsuki, they will get hooked.”

The Japanese American National Library is carrying on the tradition established by the Center for Japanese American Studies, which is said to have produced the softest, sweetest mochi in the world.

For more information, call Karl Matsushita at (415) 567-5006.