Mochi is a glutinous rice cake, traditionally eaten in Japan over the New Year period. It is hard work to make! Two people alternate, one pounding the rice with a mallet, the other turning and wetting the mochi whilst keeping an eye out for their fingers.
I decided to slow the shutter speed and inject some action into the shot, blurring the mallet as it gives the rice a pasting.
snow monkey photography 
Nick Mayo January 23, 2012
I love the second pic, it looks like the older guy is going to clobber the guy in the hat with that mallet haha.
winegums January 24, 2012
haha it does. To be honest, they pound that rice pretty hard- I’m betting there are some people with hooks out their who lost their hand in a mochi making incident.
marinachetner January 23, 2012
awesome – I have never seen these made. i Love mochi 🙂
winegums January 24, 2012
Me too 🙂 So much of it around over the New Year!