Join Us at One of the Most Popular Events on Bainbridge Island!
For more than 30 years, the Bainbridge Island Mochi Tsuki celebration has been an important traditional event to bring good fortune in the New Year. Once again, we invite the public to participate in making mochi the traditional way–steaming sweet rice over an open fire, followed by pounding the rice by hand with traditional, handcrafted cherry wood mallets (kine) in a granite bowl (usu). Visitors can get in on the action by trying their hands at pounding the mochi, forming it into cakes by hand, and eating it while it’s still warm and sticky! This event is enjoyed by adults and children alike.
All activities are free to the public, donations are welcome!
- Mochi-pounding
- Form-your-own mochi cakes
- Origami folding lessons
- Obon dance lessons and public participation
- Performances by Seattle Kokon Taiko
- Meet-the-Artist session with the creators of the award-winning Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial Departure Deck public art installation
Details
DATE: Saturday, January 6, 2024
LOCATION: Woodward Middle School, 9125 Sportsman Club Rd, Bainbridge Island
TIME: 11am – 3pm
Seattle Kokon Taiko
There will be two shows, noon and 2:00 p.m. Each show has a maximum capacity of 700 attendees, so grab a free ticket as you arrive at the main entrance to Mochi Tsuki to ensure your seat. Seattle Kokon Taiko will perform in the gymnasum.
Obon Dance
Bon Odori (盆踊り), meaning simply “Bon dance”, is a style of folk dancing performed during Obon, a festival to honor the spirits of one’s ancestors. Lessons will be conducted outdoors under shelter from 1:00-1:30 p.m.
Meet-the-Artists
For the first time, Peninsula artists Anna Brones and Luc Revel, creators of the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial Departure Deck public artworks, will make a brief presentation and host a Q&A session with the public. Dedicated in 2022, their art installation has been appreciated by more than 13,000 visitors to the Exclusion Memorial and was recently nominated for the International Award for Public Art 2024 (IAPA). Their session will be held in the gymnasium from 1:00-1:45 p.m. Attend their session and guarantee yourself prime seating for the 2 o’clock taiko show!
Origami-folding, mochi-making (and eating), mochi sales, t-shirt sales, and history displays will be available throughout the day.
Transportation
Walk-on passengers arriving by ferry from Seattle should make arrangements for ground transportation from Kitsap Transit’s BI Ride. Buses are frequently waiting at the ferry terminal upon arrival, but call in advance to ensure a smooth experience.
It is possible to walk from the ferry terminal to Woodward Middle School, but it is an approximately 45 minute, 2.2 mile walk, so ground transportation is highly recommended.
Still have questions? Contact us at info@bijac.org.
