This is the crazy way mochi is made
If you’ve ever tasted mochi (a wonderful sweet treat originally from Japan), you already know it’s delicious. The soft, stretchy, sweetness comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes. And now a video from Great Big Story shows just how much time and (literal) energy goes into the surprisingly complicated mochi-making process.
The video follows mochi-making master Mitsuo Nakatani of Nara, Japan who has the distinct honor of being the fastest mochi maker in the world. Which basically means he has some of the strongest and fastest hands in the entire world because (as it turns out) mochi making takes a ton of strength and coordination.
Despite it’s deceptively sweet taste, mochi actually starts out as a sticky rice.
In order to transform these little stick rice pieces into one solid mochi foundation, it must be pounded really fast, really hard, for a really long time (well, only about two minutes but at the intensity level these guys are at, two minutes is a long time).
They pound using not only their hands but also a giant wooden mallet. And they use both at the same time in a dangerous dance of pounding and mixing called mochi tsuki.
The feat is so impressive that people come from all over not just to taste the delicious results, but to witness the unbelievable strength and speed that goes into making the mochi.
The whole process is hypnotizing and Nakatani’s skill is clearly unparalleled. Watching this makes your jaw drop from the impressive athletic feats accomplish, but also your mouth water from the delicious looking mochi created.
Check it out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
