THE FASTEST MOCHI MAKER IN JAPAN BECOMES THE MASTER OF THE TRADITIONAL DELICACY
A trip to Japan wouldn't be complete without sampling some of its cuisine. The preparation of each dish and its flavour are what make it appealing. Mochi is one of the most intriguing preparations. With its diverse range of flavours and soft, chewy texture, this dessert has a long history in Japanese cuisine and delights many. Furthermore, no one produces mochi like the renowned Japanese mochi craftsman Mitsuo Nakatani.
The store Nakatani has owned for more than 30 years, Nakatanidou, is where the magic happens. The establishment, which is situated in Nara, in the Kansai region close to Kyoto, welcomes visitors who like to sample these rice cakes and witness the captivating mochitsuki, also known as the mochi-making ceremony. In mochitsuki, the glutinous sticky rice is pounded with a kine or mallet to create a soft paste, which is subsequently split to form mochi.
Nakatani is regarded as the fastest mochi master in all of Japan because of how effectively he completes this process. Nakatani's quick work on the dough is displayed in the store windows during a visit to Nakatanidou.
Nakatani mixes the paste by hand on the same wooden mortar while an aide strikes the mixture of mochigome (glutinous rice grain) with remarkable accuracy. The cook has avoided being struck while working thanks to the pair's meticulous choreography. "The most traditional method of pounding mochi is for one person to pound and the other to mix by hand," Nakatani told Great Big Story. The cook also said that he often uses three strikes per second on average when pounding sticky rice, and that he does so for around two minutes.
“There is no formal training on mochi pounding. It's something you acquire from experience over time. The key to being good at mixing is all about timing and trust in the guy who is pounding. We use our shouting as a way to coordinate with each other and create a rhythm. To me, making mochi is like a battle. Anyone can pound mochi as long as you have a will.”
You may see Nakatani making these candies come to life at Nakatanidou three times a day from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. if you're ever in Nara. Travel experts say that mochi, which cost around 200 Yen (approximately $1.39 USD) each, are a perfect snack to fuel your long walks throughout the city. Nakatanidou is situated in the bustling Higashimuki Shopping Street at 29 Hashimotocho.