Japanese Priests Pound Mochi Rice Cakes in Nikko, Tochigi Pref.; 120kg of Offerings Will Be Made Ahead of New Year

The Yomiuri Shimbun

17:34 JST, December 22, 2024

Priests pounded mochi rice cakes in a wooden mortar at Rinnoji Temple in Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture on Saturday, the day of the winter solstice.

As part of a traditional event, priests dressed as yamabushi, or mountain priests, pounded mochi rice cakes with mallets to offer to Honzon, the temple’s principal object of worship.

After purifying the wooden mortar set in front of Hondo, a main hall, mountain priests pounded mochi rice cakes with mallets while priests chanted a mantra.

A total of 120-kilograms of mochi rice cakes for the temple will be made by Dec. 30 and offered to each Honzon hall.