how many visitors

2009年12月13日日曜日

Making own rice cakes

Before New Years Day comes,
people prepare for Mochi.

Mochi
is a sticky rice cake.

People used to be making their own.
But now,
most people buy at shops.

HOWEVER,
country side like Tango has traditional customs still.

Last year,
we were invited to mochi making by our local friends.

Here is a procedure of making mochi.

1. Steam glutinous rice.

2. Put the rice in a big wooden bowl called "Usu"
and
mush the rice with a big hummer called "Kine"




3. Once the rice mushed well, we start hit the rice like this;
v
v
v


4. When the rice was totally mushed, move them to a wooden tray.


5. And make small balls immediately like this;
v
v





We eat mochi on New Years Day with soup.
Also,
we make a big one and display it for celebration.

T.Gray-

Beautiful Autumn

Autumn is the best season to see nature in Japan.

If you go to forest,
you can see leaves are changing to
red
yellow
orange...

They are so beautiful!!

These photos below are taken in November.

We climbed Mt. Isanago in Mineyama Town.

There are 1010 steps to the summit.
This mountain is good for beginners.
v
v
v






You can see beautiful mountain ranges.




This is one of my favourite photos.
My son Leo and Japanese maple leaves.

T.Gray-