Ultra Fast Pounding Gives Mochi A Perfect Texture

In Nara, Japan, lies Nakatanidou, a mochi shop that is usually jam packed with tourists. They fill the shop in order to find delicious mochi snacks of course, but they also go to see the mochi making process as well.

The mochi pounders have perfected the technique and have synchronized their breathing perfectly. The second half of the process is to strike the mochi two times a second. They strike it at a fast pace while it is still warm in order to create a soft and sticky texture. This method of mochi making was passed down to Nakatanidou’s president, Mitsuo Nakatani, from his home town of Kamikitayama-mura, in Nara Prefecture.

Nakatanidou has been doing this for 24 years, and started with a single goal to introduce Japan’s mochi pounding tradition to the world. He reveals that the secret to good mochi is pounding it fast while it is still hot. Seeing people’s smiles when they see our mochi pounding is what keeps me going, says Nakatanidou.

Of course, their hands may suffer sometimes, but their motto remains “work hard and you get faster with practice”.

Nara Park, which is famous for deer that roam freely throughout it, is nearby along with many other tourist spots. If you ever find yourself in Nara, don’t forget to stop at Nakatanidou to see their super fast mochi pounding technique?

Mochi is Japanese rice cake made of mochigome, a short-grain japonica glutinous rice. The rice is pounded into paste and molded into the desired shape. In Japan it is traditionally made in a ceremony called mochitsuki. While also eaten year-round, mochi is a traditional food for the Japanese New Year and is commonly sold and eaten during that time. (source: Wikipedia)

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