KUNG FU KITCHEN
MOCHI (NARA, JAPAN). The traditional ceremony of making mochi involves using a large mallet and mortar. One person will pound the hot glutinous rice in a lightning fast and steady rhythm, while another quickly darts his hand into the mortar to wet and turn the rice paste. In Nara, Japan, one particular mochi shop is famous for its high-speed mochi pounding technique. They have appeared in various Japanese TV programmes, and crowned champion of high-speed mochitsuki numerous times. Justin Onishi is Japanese American and currently teaches English in Kobe. Having spent most of his life in Hawaii, his return to the motherland has piqued his interest in his culture and in particular the art of mochi making. Although a keen student of martial arts, Justin may have underestimated the task at hand. Can he achieve kungfu standards of mochi pounding in under 3 days and keep his fingers intact?
