Watch traditional Japanese mochi pounding in Koreatown this weekend

These days, mochi might bring to mind the ice cream selection at Trader Joe's or the cute, shaped donuts at Mochinut, which have made the chewy rice cake an L.A. favorite.

But for more than 1,000 years in Japan, at this time of year, fresh mochi has been celebrated through mochitsuki — a rhythmic New Year's ceremony in which steamed glutinous rice is pounded with wooden mallets into smooth, elastic cakes symbolizing good fortune.

Yama Sushi Marketplace is turning this tradition into a public celebration with a free mochitsuki event Saturday at its Koreatown location. (The marketplace also hosted two previous events, one Dec. 20 at the San Gabriel location and the other last Saturday in West L.A.).

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The ceremony

Scott Kohno, CEO of Yama Sushi Marketplace, grew up eating mochi and attending mochitsuki festivals around Los Angeles. He describes the spectacle as "like a dance."

The two-part process requires pounders wielding mallets and turners flipping the rice between strikes, demanding rhythmic precision to avoid injury. Attendees at the Yama events can try their hand at pounding.

Cultural significance

The New Year marks the biggest holiday celebration in Japanese culture. In Japan, Oshogatsu is observed Jan. 1, with the main celebrations beginning on New Year's Eve and continuing through the first days of January.

Traditionally, Mochitsuki is celebrated chiefly through community events, but many families also rely on store-bought mochi rather than pounding their own.

Kodama Taiko performers demonstrate the rhythmic "dance" of mochitsuki, synchronizing the pounding and turning of steamed glutinous rice.

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Courtesy Yama Sushi Marketplace

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The word mochi comes from the Japanese word motsu, which means "to hold," Kohno said. "And so it's very symbolic: holding onto good fortune for the coming year.”

The ceremony holds personal meaning for Kohno, who recalls participating in mochitsuki throughout his childhood. For him, the pairing of mochi and the new year represents a time of reflection — acknowledging his staff and customers while looking ahead.

The demonstration held at Yama will be led by Kodama Taiko, a performance group that has brought mochitsuki to various Southern California communities for several years.

A partnership of legacy brands

This year, Yama is partnering with Fugetsu-Do, the historic Little Tokyo mochi shop founded in 1903 and now in its third generation of ownership under Brian Kito, whose grandfather, Seiichi Kito, started the business.

Kohno sees the partnership between the two businesses — Yama has operated for more than 40 years — as a continuation of Japanese community resilience in Los Angeles.

The partnership feels personal for Kohno, who grew up eating Fugetsu-Do mochi and now sells its products at Yama.

"These two legendary brands coming together, we think it's a natural fit," he said.

An attendee tries his hand at pounding mochi during Yama Seafood Market's Dec. 20 mochitsuki demonstration in San Gabriel.

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Courtesy Yama Sushi Marketplace

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The events pair taiko drumming with rhythmic mochi pounding, offering a celebratory experience most attendees will witness for the first time. For Kohno, these gatherings serve a larger purpose: bringing the community together while passing traditions to future generations.

"I hope that the customers really can understand that Japanese food is beyond just the tasty dishes, that there's a lot of symbolism tied to the culture behind it," he said.

More info:

Yama Sushi Marketplace will host a free mochitsuki demonstration Saturday: Yama Seafood Market, 3178 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles (Koreatown), 11 a.m.-noon

For more information, visit yamasushimarketplace.com