Bainbridge Island Japanese American Community

Events
    BIJAC > Events > Woodward Middle School > Mochi Tsuki 2025!

Mochi Tsuki 2025!

Please Join Us for the 35th Annual Event

When: January 11th, 2025 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Where: Woodward Middle School, 9125 Sportsman Club Road, Bainbridge Island

What:

  • Authentic mochi steaming over an outdoor fire

  • Mochi pounding in a traditional usu (stone bowl) with locally-crafted kine (cherry wood mallets)

  • Form your own mochi balls…then eat them with shoyu and sugar!

  • Musubi for purchase provided by Sushiko

  • Origami folding

  • Group Obon Dance workshop from 12:45 p.m. to 1:45 p.m.

  • Taiko drum performances by Seattle Kokon Taiko, shows at 11:45 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. 

Admission: Free. Donations benefit the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Community.

Woodward Middle School

Woodward Middle School opened in December of 1994 as a 6th – 8th grades middle school. A community-wide grand opening celebration was held on Saturday, November 5th, 1994 featuring a dedication ceremony, barbecue, tours and entertainment. The first principal was Jerry McLaughlin. Grade levels were reconfigured with increasing student enrollment at the elementary and middle school levels, and Woodward Middle School changed to a grades 7-8 school when Sakai Intermediate opened as a grades 5-6 school in 2000.

The school was named after Walt & Milly Woodward, publishers and owners of the Bainbridge Review from 1941 to 1988. Walt Woodward was the only publisher on the west coast to take a consistent stand against the internment of the Japanese during World War II. His courage and dedication to fair and accurate reporting during and beyond this challenging time on Bainbridge Island remains an inspiration to Woodward Middle School staff and students.

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