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First photo: Under the watchful eye of Race Hozaki (center), twin brothers Davis and Travis Hayase of Oahu soften a fresh batch of mochi in the usu, or mortar, during the family's annual mochi pounding Sunday at the Kahului home of Race and his mother, Carolyn Hozaki. The Hozaki, Nishino and Hayase families gather every year to pound rice into mochi for the Japanese New Year tradition. Carolyn Hozaki said the families were making eight or nine batches this year, with 10 cups of rice to a batch.
Second photo: Hand-shaped mochi stuffed with azuki beans or Reese's peanut butter cups sits ready to be eaten or stacked in a traditional altar on mantles.
Third photo: Jack Hayase pokes a mallet into a steaming batch of rice before the work of pounding begins. "Let's see, I am 90 years old, so about 90 years," Hayase said when asked how long he'd been doing the tradition. "I cannot remember, but a long time, when my parents used to live up in Wailuku on Central Avenue." When asked what the secret to making good mochi was, Hayase said, "No no no," and walked away.
Fourth photo: Joan Nishino (from left), Roxanne Hayase and Randi Hayase shape small discs of mochi from a freshly pounded batch.
The Maui News / COLLEEN UECHI photos