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One of Japanese special New Year’s events is “mochi pounding.” In traditional Japanese culture, the consumption of mochi is not only for New Year but also for many special events and moch were eaten year- around. Each family used to have tools for mochi pounding and they would usually do it at their home. But mochi pounding is time consuming and require a numbers of man power. It also require a wide area for the event So it is rare to see mochi pounding at home nowadays. My family and I do it once a year. If you have eaten mochi, most of them are made by machine but pounded mochi by hand is so tasty and the texture is toally different.

There are still some chances to visit or even participate in mochi pounding. There are some mochi pounding events on the season of New Year and I will introduce some nice mochi pounding event in Tokyo. If you have chance to be Japan in New Year, I recommend you to go those event!

Yomiuri Land



Yomiuri Land is an amusement park in Tokyo which is only 25 minutes away from Shinjuku. They open from New Year’s Day and they have mochi pounding event on the day. Yomiuri Land’s characters would pound mochi and give them out to visitors for free. However, you need to pay entrance fee for the park. There are 43 attractions including roller coaster and also family friendly rides at Yomiuri Land. If you travel with your family, mochi pounding events at Yomiuri Land is one of good options.

Information
Address: 4015-1 Yanokuchi, Inagi-shi, Tokyo, 206-8725
Website (English): http://www.yomiuriland.com/english/

Map:


Meguro-Gajoen



Some hotels have mochi pounding events and Meguro-Gajoen is one of them. Meguro-Gajoen is only 3 minutes away from Meguro station. They have usually have mochi pounding events on January 3rd and it is free to enter. You can watch the mochi pounding and get to eat even if you don’t stay at the hotel.

What so special about mochi pounding at Megurogajoen is that sumo wrestlers will pound mochi. In Japanese tradition, sumo is not just a sport but sacred sport for Shinto as sumo is part of Shinto rite. So it was believed that sumo wrestlers have special spiritual power and the mochi pounded by sumo wrestlers have good fortune.

Information
Address: 1-8-1 Shimomeguro, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 153-0064
Website (English): http://www.megurogajoen.co.jp/english/

Map:


Yoyogi Hachiman Gu Shrine



Yoyogi Hachiman Gu Shrine is Shinto shrine at Yoyogi. Their mochi pounding event is not held on New Year season but on Feburary as a preparation for Setsubun event. Pounded mochi will be scattered on the day of Setsubun. At Yoyogi Hachiman Gu Shrine, they usually have mochi pounding on February 1st.

Yoyogi area used to be farms and people here used to pound mochi with neighbors until 1950s. But as I mentioned, most families do not pound mochi anymore and this same situation at this area too. They had tradition to sing a song called “Song for Mochi Pounding in Yoyogi.” Some people did not want to lose this song and started this event once a year so that they can succeed the song and mochi pounding tradition to next generation.

If you are in Japan in February, you can join this mochi pounding event. This is not like a show but people in community gathered and pound mochi. If you would like to see traditional Japanese mochi pounding this event is good.

Information
Address: 5-1-1 Yoyogi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 151-0053

Map:


Be careful, information I listed here may change. Please check information by yourself before you go to event.